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").
North Charleston is a city in Charleston and Dorchester counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 79,641 at the 2000 Census. A July 1, 2008 United States Census Bureau estimate places the population at 94,407. The city of North Charleston is the third-largest city in South Carolina, after Columbia and Charleston. It is a principal city of the Charleston – North Charleston – Summerville metropolitan area. Incorporated in June 1972, North Charleston had a population of 21,000 and an area of seven square miles. Since that time, the city has more than tripled its population and now encompasses more than 76.6 square miles. It is considered one of the state's major industrial cities.