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").
Blanchardville is a village in Iowa and Lafayette Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 806 at the 2000 census. As of 2006, the Village President is Dennis Marty. The Iowa County portion of Blanchardville is part of the Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area.