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").
Roper is a town in Washington County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 613 at the 2000 census. It was known as Lee's Mill (named for Thomas Lee) until 1890 when the John L. Roper Lumber Company was established in the town and its name changed to Roper.