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").
Mercer Island is a city in King County, Washington, United States and the name of the island in Lake Washington on which the city sits. The city is within the Seattle Metropolitan Area and its population was 22,650 in 2008, according to the 2008 US Census Bureau population estimates.