Legal Terms Starting with Y
Y-words are scarce in English, but several show up routinely in employment law, juvenile justice, federal procedure, and real estate. The most cited entries are below.
Yellow Dog Contract
An employment agreement requiring workers to promise not to join a union, now illegal under federal labor law.
Employment LawYield
To give way or surrender a right, claim, or privilege, or the return on an investment.
General Legal TermsYouthful Offender
A young person who committed a crime, eligible for special sentencing provisions and sealed records in some jurisdictions.
Criminal LawYear and a Day Rule
A common law doctrine requiring death to occur within a year and a day of injury for homicide prosecution, abolished in most jurisdictions.
Criminal LawYearly Tenancy
A rental agreement that automatically renews for successive one-year periods until properly terminated by either party.
Real EstateYield Sign
A traffic control device requiring drivers to slow and give right-of-way, relevant in traffic violation and accident cases.
Traffic LawYounger Abstention
A doctrine requiring federal courts to abstain from interfering with ongoing state criminal proceedings.
Federal ProcedureYouthful Indiscretion
Minor misconduct committed by young people, sometimes considered as a mitigating factor in sentencing or employment decisions.
Criminal LawYield to Maturity
The total return anticipated on a bond if held until it matures, expressed as an annual rate. Often relevant in trust administration, estate valuation, and securities-fraud cases.
SecuritiesYear-to-Year Lease
A periodic tenancy that runs from one anniversary date to the next and renews automatically until either side gives the required statutory notice (typically 30–60 days, depending on the state).
Real EstateYates Memo
A 2015 Department of Justice policy emphasising the prosecution of individual executives in corporate wrongdoing cases. Frequently referenced in white-collar defence work.
White-Collar Crime