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").
Spring Valley, incorporated on July 9, 1902 is a village in the Town of Ramapo in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Nanuet; east of Airmont and Monsey; south of Hillcrest and west of West Nyack. The population was 25,464 at the 2000 census. The Village of Spring Valley is on the border of two towns and spans the east town line of the Town of Ramapo, which is the west town line of the town of Clarkstown. The village is next to the New York State Thruway and is served by a Metro-North commuter rail station at the terminus of the Pascack Valley Line. Spring Valley is 22 miles north of Manhattan, and five miles north of the New Jersey border. Spring Valley is considered to be one of the more urban communities in Rockland County. Home to Rockland Community College - Spring Valley Extension