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").
Ashland is a town located just north of Richmond in Hanover County, Virginia. , United States. The population was 6,619 at the 2000 census. Ashland is home to Randolph-Macon College (1830). "The Center of the Universe" is a popular thematic phrase displayed on signs in the town.