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").
Iron Station, North Carolina is an unincorporated community in Lincoln County just outside of Lincolnton. A primarily industrial town, Iron Station's population as of the 2000 census was 6,210 in 2,389 homes with a population density of 154.84/km². Iron Station also serves as a feeder community for the larger cities of Charlotte, Hickory, and Lincolnton. Iron Station is a town that was an iron mining town with train stations.