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").
Elmont is a hamlet as well as a bedroom suburb of New York City in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island. Elmont is an unincorporated area of the Town of Hempstead. The population was 33,657 at the 2000 census. Elmont is famous as the home of Belmont Park Race Track, which has the world's largest dirt thoroughbred racecourse. Like many suburbs, Elmont has tree-lined streets, parks, old churches and temples, cultural festivals, parades, and restaurants. NFL Quarterback and Heisman Award winner Vinny Testaverde grew up in Elmont and graduated from Sewanhaka High School.