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").
East Amherst is a hamlet, or unincorporated community. It straddles Transit Road, which in addition to being a major thoroughfare, serves as the boundary separating the towns of Amherst and Clarence in Erie County, New York, United States of America. East Amherst covers approximately 15 square miles (39 km) and is contained entirely within the perimeter of ZIP code 14051 (The nearby hamlet of Swormville also shares this ZIP code with East Amherst).