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").
The Town of Westport is on the eastern border of the county and is 35 miles south of Plattsburgh and 93 miles south of Montreal. Westport is inside the Adirondack Park. Westport is the birthplace of the Adirondack chair. The Essex County Fair is held in the town. The fairgrounds was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.