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").
Waskom is a city in Harrison County, Texas, United States. It lies about 20 miles (32 km) east of the county seat, Marshall, on U.S. Route 80. To the east is Shreveport, Louisiana. The population was 2,068 at the 2000 census with a United States Census Bureau 2005 population estimate of 2,129 citizens.