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").
Summersville is a town in Nicholas County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 3,194 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Nicholas County. Summersville, especially along U.S. Route 19, is well-known as a speed trap. In 2001 the police department of Summersville issued 18,133 tickets. Because of this, the city has been seen on several network TV programs including CNN, CBS, CBC, and the BBC. As late as 2007, the National Motorists Association ranked Summersville as the worst speed trap in the state of West Virginia. The city has been further seen in Money Magazine, USA Today, and dozens of local newspapers in the Midwest. Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park is near the town.