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").
La Crosse is a town in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, United States. Its name is derived from the fact that it was a place where railroads once crossed, and there is still a caboose in the center of the town. La Crosse is adjacent to the neighboring town South Hill. The town's population was 618 at the 2000 census.