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").
Wampsville is a village located inside the Town of Lenox in Madison County, New York. The population was 561 as of the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Madison County. The Village of Wampsville is in the northern part of the county and near the eastern town line of Lenox.