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").
North Boston is a hamlet located in the Town of Boston in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, this hamlet population was 2,680. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. North Boston is on the northern town line, located around the junction of NY Routes 277 and 391.