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").
Surgoinsville is a town in Hawkins County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,484 at the 2000 census. In 2003 the estimated population was 1,691. It is part of the Kingsport–Bristol (TN)–Bristol (VA) Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City–Kingsport–Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical Area – commonly known as the "Tri-Cities" region. The number of violent crimes recorded by the FBI in 2003 was 3. The number of murders and homicides was 0. The violent crime rate was 1.8 per 1,000 people.