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").
Hamlin is a city in Fisher and Jones Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 2,248 at the 2000 census. The Jones County portion of Hamlin is part of the Abilene, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area.