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").
Union is a town in Monroe County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 548 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Monroe County. Union was so named because in frontier days, the site of the town was a rendezvous for troops during the Indian Wars. It was settled by James Alexander in 1774 and originally charted in 1799. Located east of Union is Rehoboth Church, the oldest Methodist church in West Virginia.