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").
Ransomville is a hamlet located in the Town of Porter in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 1,488 at the 2000 census. Portions of the hamlet of Ransomville are also in Town of Wilson and Town of Cambria. Ransomville is north of the City of Niagara Falls and is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. Ransomville is in the southeast corner of the town on the Youngstown-Lockport Road. The Ransomville Speedway is located northwest of the village. Former CWF World Heavyweight Champion Blackjack Conacher hailed from Ransomville.