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").
Nathalie is an unincorporated community in Halifax County, Virginia, United States, in the south central region of the state. Located at 36°56′6″N 78°56′50″W / 36.935°N 78.94722°W / 36.935; -78.94722 (36.9348619, -78.9472347), at an altitude of 554 feet (169 m), it lies along Road 603 north of the town of Halifax, the county seat of Halifax County. It received its name in 1890 or 1891, being named after Natalie Otey (not Nathalie), daughter of Mrs. Rebecca Wimbish, an important local landowner. Prior to that time, the village at this location was considered to be a part of the Nathaniel Barksdale plantation. It had included a church since 1773 (the first Catawba Baptist Church) and a post office since 1828. This post office continues to operate today with the ZIP code of 24577. The population of the ZCTA for ZIP code 25567 was 5,529 at the 2000 census.