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").
The Village of Farmingdale is located within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York in the United States. The population was 8,399 at the 2000 census. As of 2008 the mayor is George Starkie. "Farmingdale" is also associated with several unincorporated areas outside the village limits, including South Farmingdale (also in the Town of Oyster Bay within Nassau County), and East Farmingdale. Many nearby places not within the village limits have "Farmingdale" as their postal address. Farmingdale Union Free School District (UFSD 22) includes parts of both Nassau County and Suffolk County.