No, sleeping on a refrigerator in your Mississippi backyard is not illegal. This notion stems from urban myths or misattributed “dumb laws” lists that confuse Mississippi with states like Pennsylvania or New York, where similar quirky claims circulate without statutory basis.
Actual Mississippi Laws
Mississippi Code § 97-5-9 prohibits abandoning refrigerators or iceboxes on premises without removing the latch or lock to prevent child entrapment—a safety measure from the mid-20th century, not about sleeping. Health codes regulate refrigeration temperatures in homes or facilities (e.g., 41°F or below for perishables), but these apply indoors to food storage, not outdoor furniture use.
Myth Origins
Such tales often exaggerate old ordinances nationwide; Mississippi lacks any enforceable rule against backyard napping on appliances. Local zoning or nuisance ordinances might indirectly apply to junk accumulation (e.g., state parks ban outdoor appliances as clutter), but a functional backyard fridge for sleeping? Perfectly legal on private property.
