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").
Lima is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Allen County. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately 72 miles (116 km) north of Dayton and 78 miles (125 km) south-southwest of Toledo. As of the 2000 U.S. census, the city had a population of 40,081. The 2006 estimate was 38,219. It is the principal city of and is included in the Lima, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Lima-Van Wert-Wapakoneta, Ohio Combined Statistical Area. Lima was founded in 1831. The Lima Army Tank Plant, built in 1941, is the world's sole producer of the M1 Abrams.