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").
Abernathy is a city in Hale and Lubbock counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 2,839 at the 2000 census. The Hale County portion of Abernathy is part of the Plainview Micropolitan Statistical Area, while the Lubbock County portion is part of the Lubbock Metropolitan Statistical Area.