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").
Stockton is a town in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 2,331 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Richard Stockton, who signed the Declaration of Independence. The Town of Stockton is an interior town of the county, north of Jamestown, New York .