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").
Carmel is a town located in Putnam County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 36,465. There are no incorporated villages in the town, although the hamlets of Carmel and Mahopac each have populations sizable enough to be thought of as villages. The Town of Carmel is on the south border of the county. The town hall is in Mahopac. Guideposts Magazine, founded by Norman Vincent Peale, is headquartered in Carmel.