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").
Tahlequah is a city in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States located at the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. The population was 14,458 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Cherokee County. The main campus of Northeastern State University is located in the city. It is also the capital of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians and the Cherokee Nation. Tahlequah is also known for being featured in the book Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls.