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").
Palisades, formerly known as Sneden's Landing and then Rockland, is a hamlet in the Town of Orangetown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Rockleigh and Alpine, New Jersey; east of Tappan; south of Sparkill and west of the Hudson River. The hamlet has no mayor, nor any official legislative bodies. It does, however, have its own library, and post office, with the zip code 10964. It is almost entirely residential with the exception of a small industrial area section on the Tappan border. The area commonly referred to as Snedens Landing, is located within the eastern portion of Palisades between US Route 9W and the Hudson River. The hamlet has a registered historic district known as the Closter Road - Oak Tree Road Historic District. The district comprises the area from the north side of Closter Road and south side of Oak Tree Road approximately 1/2 mile west of US Route 9W in Palisades. The hamlet's significant institutions include an IBM conference center, the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, and a well-regarded nursing home. It is the southernmost community in Rockland County. Sneden's Landing is mentioned in Alec Wilder's song, "Did You Ever Cross Over to Sneden's?", one of Mabel Mercer's signature pieces.