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").
Merlin is an unincorporated community in Josephine County, Oregon, United States. The area is known for sport fishing and whitewater rafting on the Rogue River. Merlin's ZIP code is 97532. A new railroad station in this location in 1883 was called "Jump Off Joe" for a local stream. The station was renamed Merlin in October 1886. The name came from a railroad civil engineer who named it for the Merlins he saw in the area. "McAllister" post office was established about a mile north of Merlin in 1885, then moved to the vicinity of the railroad station and renamed Merlin in 1891.