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").
Buckhannon is the only incorporated city in and the county seat of Upshur County, West Virginia, United States, and is located along the Buckhannon River. The population was 5,725 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, it has reached a population above 7,500. Buckhannon is home to West Virginia Wesleyan College and the West Virginia Strawberry Festival, held annually on the third week of May. The city is located 115 miles northeast from the capital city of Charleston and 140 miles south of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Buckhannon is also home of the Sago Mine Tragedy that happened on January 2, 2006, resulting in the deaths of 12 of 13 trapped miners.