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").
Animas is an unincorporated community in west central Hidalgo County, New Mexico, United States, in the southwestern corner of the state. It lies at the intersection of State Roads 9 and 338 south of the city of Lordsburg, the county seat of Hidalgo County. Its elevation is 4,406 feet (1,343 m), and it is located at 31°56′56″N 108°48′26″W / 31.94889°N 108.80722°W / 31.94889; -108.80722 (31.9489799, -108.8072777). Although Animas is unincorporated, it has a post office. Founded in 1909, it has the ZIP code of 88020; the ZCTA for ZIP Code 88020 had a population of 1,063 at the 2000 census. Founded around 1753 by the Spanish, Animas became part of the newly independent country of Mexico in 1821. Unlike most of New Mexico, Animas was not part of the Mexican Cession after the end of the Mexican–American War; it is located in the area transferred to the United States by the Gadsden Purchase of 1853. Animas is an isolated community. Located in the Pyramid Mountains just west of the Continental Divide, it lies approximately thirty miles from Lordsburg, the nearest significant population center. Smaller communities closer to Animas than Lordsburg include Cotton City, Playas, and Rodeo. It lies in a region rich in Native American history: twenty-one different archeological sites in the Animas area are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.