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").
Wellsburg is a city in Brooke County, West Virginia, ZIP code 26070. It is part of the Weirton–Steubenville, WV-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 1990 it had a population of 3,385. The town was named for Alexander Wells, son-in-law of Charles Prather, builder of the first large flour warehouse in the east. The town was laid out in 1790, and its post office was opened on September 1, 1870. It is the county seat of Brooke County.