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").
Sheldon is a city in Ransom County, North Dakota in the United States. The population was 135 at the 2000 census. Sheldon was founded in 1882. The city is named after an early landowner. In 1906, a controversial artesian well was drilled in the community.