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").
Sergeantsville is an historic community located within Delaware Township, in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. Sergeantsville was first settled by a Mr. Thatcher in 1700, and was later named for Charles Sergeant, an American Revolutionary War soldier, in honor of the Sergeant family of which three brothers were local shopkeepers. "Out-of-towners give themselves away when they pronounce the first syllable 'sarge'; it's 'serge. '" Green Sergeant Covered Bridge, constructed in 1872 across the Wickecheoke Creek, is located just west of Sergeantsville and is the oldest remaining covered bridge in New Jersey. Sergeantsville was officially created in 1827 when it became desirable to establish a post office. Until that time, this largely rural area was known as "Skunktown", perhaps because the town served as a market center for skunk pelts. Sergeantsville's annual "Thanksgiving in the Country" house tour, established in 1973, takes four or five different homes each year, that have historical, architectural or cultural qualities.