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").
Midkiff is an unincorporated community in northeastern Upton County, Texas, United States. It lies along FM 2401 and FM 3095 north of the city of Rankin, the county seat of Upton County. Its elevation is 2,736 feet (834 m). Although Midkiff is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 79755; the ZCTA for ZIP Code 79755 had a population of 245 at the 2000 census. Founded in an oil boom in the early 1950s, Midkiff was named for a former community in nearby areas of Midland County. Its post office was established in September 1952.