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").
Ladson is a census-designated place (CDP) in Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 13,264 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Charleston–North Charleston–Summerville Metropolitan Statistical Area. Ladson's post offices serves residents of Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties.