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").
Brush Prairie is a census-designated place (CDP) in Clark County, Washington, United States. The population was 2,384 at the 2000 census. Based on per capita income, one of the more reliable measures of affluence, Brush Prairie ranks 57th of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked.