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").
Thorndale is a village in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,561 at the 2000 census. Thorndale is the commercial and administrative center of Caln Township. The village sits along US Business 30, which is the major commercial road through the village. Many of the old houses that were Thorndale have fallen into disrepair and have been torn down and replaced with new business from the late 1990s to present. Thorndale is historically notable for containing a summer house of US President James Buchanan, which still stands and has been incorporated into a golf course and turned into a restaurant. It contains the Thorndale Fire Station and Caln Elementary School, part of the Coatesville Area School District. Thorndale sits along the SEPTA R5 line and is currently the last station on that line. It is also serviced by the Rover bus system.