No, sleeping on a refrigerator in your own Rhode Island backyard is not illegal, as it involves your private property where you have full authority without triggering trespass or nuisance laws.​
Relevant Rhode Island Laws
Rhode Island’s trespass statutes, like R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-44-26, target willful entry or remaining on another’s land without permission or after being warned to leave, punishable by fines up to $1,000 or up to one year in jail. Your backyard qualifies as curtilage of your domicile, exempting you from these rules unless local ordinances specify otherwise, such as noise or zoning violations for visible nuisances. No state law singles out sleeping on appliances like refrigerators.​
Potential Exceptions
Local municipalities might enforce backyard regulations on structures, hazards, or public disturbances, but a refrigerator alone (assuming it’s not abandoned waste violating sanitation codes) poses no inherent prohibition. If the act creates safety risks, like electrical hazards or attracts pests, it could indirectly violate health codes, but sleeping on it remains a personal choice without criminality. Consult local zoning for oversized items or visibility issues.
SOURCES
[1](https://www.chadbanklaw.com/trespass/)
[2](https://calolawri.com/attorney/trespassing/)
[3](https://www.dellisonlaw.com/rhode-island-trespassing-lawyer/)
[4](https://www.calcagnilaw.com/rhode-island-property-lawyers/trespassing/)
[5](https://www.thomasianlaw.com/criminal-defense/property-crimes/trespassing/)
