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").
South Houston is a city in Harris County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population was 15,833 at the 2000 census. It is bordered by the city of Houston and the city of Pasadena.