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Mississippi law

Premises Liability Laws in Mississippi.

Mississippi premises liability follows traditional invitee/licensee/trespasser categories. Landowners owe invitees a duty of reasonable care, including inspection and warning; licensees a duty to warn of known dangers; and trespassers only a duty to avoid willful or wanton harm. Mississippi's pure comparative fault rule applies. Mississippi has a dedicated Dangerous Animal statute creating strict liability for injuries from dogs with prior bite history. Recreational Use immunity applies to landowners who open property to the public without charge.

Last verified: 2026-04-17

State law

Statute of Limitations

3 yearsMiss. Code Ann. § 15-1-49

3-year general personal injury statute applies to premises cases.

State law

Fault & Liability Rules

Pure Comparative FaultMiss. Code Ann. § 11-7-15

Damages reduced by plaintiff's percentage of fault. No bar even at 99% plaintiff fault.

State law

Key Mississippi Statutes

Invitee DutyMississippi common law; Jerry Lee's Grocery Inc. v. Thompson, 528 So.2d 293 (Miss. 1988)

Landowners owe invitees (business visitors, customers) a duty of reasonable care, including inspection and warning of dangerous conditions that are not open and obvious.

Licensee DutyMississippi common law

Licensees (social guests) are owed only a duty to warn of known dangerous conditions. Landowners are not required to inspect for licensees.

Dangerous Dog StatuteMiss. Code Ann. § 41-53-3

Owners of dangerous dogs (defined by prior bite or aggressive history) face strict liability for injuries; owners of other dogs face ordinary negligence.

Recreational Use ImmunityMiss. Code Ann. § 89-2-1 et seq.

Landowners who permit free recreational use of their land owe no duty to make the premises safe and are not liable for injury absent willful or malicious failure to warn.

State law

Official Sources

Not Legal Advice

This page summarizes publicly available statutes and rules for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by viewing this content. Laws change — always verify with the primary source or consult a licensed attorney in Mississippi.

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