The Misdemeanor Division of the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office represents the State of Ohio and the various municipalities within the county in nearly all misdemeanor criminal and traffic matters that come before the Wayne County Municipal Court.   In general, misdemeanor offenses are those criminal or traffic offenses that carry a potential jail sentence of one year or less, or no jail sentence at all.  In contrast, felony offenses generally carry a potential prison sentence of one year or more.  Whether a criminal or traffic misdemeanor offense, the seriousness of the offense is denoted by its degree.  For example, with few very limited exceptions, a misdemeanor of the 1st degree is the most serious level of misdemeanor, while a minor misdemeanor is the least serious.  There are also 2nd, 3rd, and 4th degree misdemeanor offenses.