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").
Stevens Point is a city in and the county seat of Portage County, Wisconsin, United States. Located in the central part of the state, it is the largest city in the county, with a population of 24,551 at the 2000 census. Its estimated 2008 population was 25,327. The city was incorporated in 1858. The city forms the core of the United States Census Bureau's Stevens Point Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Portage County . Together with surrounding communities, the Stevens Point micropolitan area was, according to the 2000 census, home to 48,123 people, and was the 481st most populous area in the United States. Stevens Point is home to the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point and a campus of Mid-State Technical College.