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").
Hampstead is an unincorporated community in Pender County, North Carolina, United States. It is located between Wilmington and Jacksonville on U.S. Route 17. It is known as the "seafood capital of the Carolinas". Hampstead is part of the Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area.