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").
Mastic is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 15,436 at the 2000 census. Mastic is a community located in the southeast part of the Town of Brookhaven. The hamlet was originally called Forge. The Long Island Rail Road built a station in 1882. In 1893, the name of the town was changed to Mastic. On July 15, 1960, the stop was moved 7010 feet west and renamed Mastic–Shirley. Mastic is served by the William Floyd School District and the Eastport-South Manor Central School District. The Poospatuck Indian Reservation lies entirely within the community, near its southern end.