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").
Wahpeton is a city in Richland County, North Dakota in the United States. It is the county seat of Richland County and had a population of 8,586 as of the 2000 census. Wahpeton was founded in 1869 and is the principal city of the Wahpeton Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Richland County, North Dakota and Wilkin County, Minnesota. Wahpeton's twin city is Breckenridge, Minnesota. The Bois de Sioux River and the Otter Tail River join at Wahpeton and Breckenridge to form the Red River of the North. Wahpeton has the most modern medical center in the region, St. Francis Hospital. Wahpeton has two railroads, a bus line, five truck lines, and an airport with runways of just over 3,000 and 5,000 feet in length. The North Dakota State College of Science is located in Wahpeton. The local newspaper is the Wahpeton Daily News.