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").
Westfield is a town in Orleans County, Vermont in the United States. The population was 503 at the 2000 census. It is the least densely populated (most rural) town in the county. The town was founded in 1780 and named after Rhode Island general and politician, William West, a supporter of Vermont statehood. Westfield is home to the Monastery of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, a contemplative order of women, following the Benedictine rule.