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").
Slab Fork is an unincorporated community in Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States with a population of 202. The ZIP code for Slab Fork is 25920. Slab Fork is perhaps best known as the birthplace of Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter Bill Withers, who gained international renown in the 1970s with songs such as "Ain't No Sunshine", "Lean on Me", "Just the Two of Us", "Use Me" and "Lovely Day". The community's percentage of married households is lower than the national average, but the percentage of families (households with children) is higher than the national average. The median income in Slab Fork is approximately $33,500, which is 20% lower than the national average. As of the 2000 United States Census, none of the residents had received a college degree. According to the 2000 census, 199 of the community's 202 residents were white, two were of mixed race, and one was an Alaskan native or American Indian.