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").
Ridgeland is a town in Jasper County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,518 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Jasper County. As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, Ridgeland is included within the Ridgeland Urban Cluster and the larger Hilton Head Island–Beaufort Micropolitan Statistical Area.