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").
West Bloomfield is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 2,549 at the 2000 census. The Town of West Bloomfield is on the county's western border and is south of the City of Rochester.