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").
Hamler is a village in Henry County, Ohio, United States. The population was 650 at the 2000 census. Founded in 1875 by John Hamler, Hamler is a rural farming community in Northwest Ohio about 40 miles southwest of Toledo, Ohio. It is located at the intersection of the former Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) and former Detroit, Toledo and Ironton (D,T&I) railroads and the intersection of Ohio State Route 109 and Ohio State Route 18. Hamler is the home town of Kelly Creager, who served as Miss Ohio for 1997 and represented Ohio in the Miss America contest. She previously held the title of Miss Conneaut. Hamler is also the boyhood home of composer and musician Chip Davis of the renowned Mannheim Steamroller musical group. A village consisting primarily of residents of German heritage, Hamler is home of the annual Hamler Summerfest which features German polka bands, polka dancing, German food and free-flowing beer. Hamler students attend school in the Patrick Henry Local School District, which is a consolidation of the former school districts in the villages of Hamler, Deshler, Grelton, Malinta, and McClure.