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").
Hope Valley is a village and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Hopkinton in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population of the CDP was 1,649 at the 2000 census. Hope Valley is the largest village in Hopkinton and the town's principal commercial center. The central portion of the village is known as Hope Valley Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. The 183-acre (74 ha) historic district includes 134 buildings and three other structures.