@gargath @Are0h Also, the wait to actually go to court is very long in my jurisdictions. If you're on the hook for a misdemeanor, your actual sentence might be only a little bit longer than the time you spent in jail waiting for trial. Plea deals often include short sentences, so it's not impossible for many people charged with a misdemeanor to spend less time in prison if they plead guilty than the amount of time they spend in jail if they're found innocent by the court.