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").
Plainview is a hamlet located in the Town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County, New York, USA. The population was 27,677 as of 2007. The Plainview Post Office has the ZIP Code 11803. Plainview and its neighboring hamlet, Old Bethpage, share a school system, library, fire department, and water district. Law enforcement for the communities is provided by the Nassau County Police Department, with the Second Precinct serving areas north of Old Country Road and Eighth Precinct serving areas south of Old Country Road. Plainview is split between the 2nd congressional district of New York and the 3rd congressional district of New York.