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").
Rankin is a city in Upton County, Texas, United States. The population was 800 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of the thinly populated county – in 2000, only 3,404 people lived in the entire county, and McCamey was the only larger town. It is named after F.E. Rankin, a local rancher.