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").
Hurley is an unincorporated community in Buchanan County, Virginia located at the convergence of County Routes 643, 646, 650, and 697, a short distance from the Kentucky and West Virginia state lines. Hurley suffered devastating floods in 2002 which nearly wiped out the town.