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").
Vale is a city in Malheur County, Oregon, United States, about 12 miles (19 km) west of the Idaho border. It is at the intersection of U.S. Routes 20 and 26, on the Malheur River. Vale was selected as Malheur's county seat in 1955, 68 years after the county was founded. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 1,976. Vale is part of the Ontario, OR–ID Micropolitan Statistical Area.