Legal Definitions - year, day, and waste

Definition: Year, day, and waste is a historical right of the Crown to take the profits and waste of the land of people who were convicted of petty treason or felony for a year and a day. After that time, the Crown had to return the property to the lord of the fee. This right was abolished by the Corruption of Blood Act of 1814.

Example: If someone was convicted of a crime, their land could be taken by the Crown for a year and a day. During that time, the Crown would collect any profits from the land and could allow it to become waste or unused. After the year and a day, the land would be returned to the original owner or their lord.

Explanation: This example illustrates how the right of year, day, and waste worked in practice. It shows how the Crown could take control of someone's land for a limited time and use it for their own benefit. However, the original owner or their lord would eventually regain control of the land.