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").
Currituck is an unincorporated community in extreme northeastern North Carolina, USA. Situated along the Currituck Sound, it serves as the county seat for Currituck County. Currituck is part of the Inner Banks region and is one of the state's few unincorporated county seats. The community harbors the Knotts Island Ferry, which provides free shuttles across the sound to Knotts Island. North Carolina Highway 168 (Caratoke Highway) and Courthouse Road are the community's most prominent roads. The Currituck Beach Lighthouse is not located in Currituck, but is in nearby Corolla which is across the sound on the Outer Banks. As early as the mid-1700s the Currituck county seat was called Currituck Court House; the "Court House" suffix eroded away with the passage of time.