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").
Longview is a city in Gregg and Harrison Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 73,344 at the 2000 census, but a 2006 estimate placed the city's population at 77,793. Most of the city is located in Gregg County, of which it is the county seat; only a small part extends into the western part of neighboring Harrison County. It is situated in East Texas, on the grid of Interstate 20 and U.S. Highways 80 and 259, just north of the Sabine River. Longview is a commercial hub for the Longview Metropolitan Statistical Area. Longview is the principal city of the Longview Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger MSA made up of Gregg, Upshur, and Rusk counties. Longview is considered a major hub city in the region, as is the nearby city of Tyler.