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").
Spring Valley is a village in Pierce and St. Croix Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 1,189 at the 2000 census. The village is located mostly within the Town of Spring Lake in Pierce County. Small portions also lie in the Town of Gilman, also in Pierce County, and the Town of Cady in St. Croix County.