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").
Mount Jewett is a borough in McKean County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,070 at the 2000 census. The students of the borough attend school in the Kane Area School District, even though the borough is surrounded by Hamlin Township--belonging to neighboring Smethport Area School District. Currently a legal battle is occurring between the Kane Area School Board and The Mount Jewett Charter School Coalition to open a new charter school due to the recent closing of Mount Jewett's elementary school.