In a criminal case, the state, through a prosecutor, initiates the suit, while in a civil case the victim brings the suit. Persons convicted of a crime may be incarcerated, fined, or both. Criminal defense attorneys represent clients who have been accused of committing a crime, and defend their rights at each stage of a misdemeanor or felony case -- from an arrest to an appeal after conviction. Criminal defense attorneys may be hired privately or provided by the government (called "public defenders").
Little Falls is a township in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 10,855. It is located about fifteen miles from New York City. Little Falls was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 2, 1868, from portions of Acquackanonk Township. On March 25, 1914, portions of the township were taken to form the borough of West Paterson. The old Morris Canal, once an important artery of trade and transportation between the Delaware and Hudson Rivers, wound its way through the town, and vestiges of it still serve as a reminder of Little Falls' long history. Several well-maintained residences and other structures from the last century serve to further strengthen the town's sense of pride in its past.