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").
Fort Plain is a village in Montgomery County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 2,288. The village is named after a fort built during the American Revolution. The village of Fort Plain is at the border of the Towns of Minden and Canajoharie and is west of Amsterdam. Because of its small size and the close connections with neighboring communities, some former residents who now live in more populous regions use Fort Plain to refer collectively to the actual village of Fort Plain and the surrounding villages of Nelliston, Canajoharie, and Palatine Bridge.