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").
Patchogue is a waterfront village on the south shore of Long Island in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 12,919 at the 2000 census. The village is named after the Patchogue Indians, who once inhabited the area. Patchogue is part of the town of Brookhaven, on the South Shore of Long Island on the Great South Bay. The village is served by the Patchogue Post Office, which also serves the hamlet of Davis Park and other areas on Fire Island.