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").
Vanderbilt is a borough in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 553 at the 2000 census. The town is named for the railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt. It is served by the Connellsville Area School District. Vanderbilt is the site of a mine fire, although it has not been as destructive as the one in Centralia, Pennsylvania, and has little impact on the small town.