Born in Davenport, Iowa, Young received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Drake University in 1975 and a Juris Doctor from George Mason University School of Law in 1980.
On July 15, 1997, Young was nominated by President Bill Clinton to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana vacated by Gene Edward Brooks.
The United States Senate confirmed Young by an 81–0 vote on March 2, 1998.
[3] On June 25, 2014, Judge Young struck down Indiana's ban on same-sex marriage without issuing a stay of his ruling.
In 2021, Judge Young ruled in favor of Roncalli High School after they dismissed a guidance counselor in a same-sex marriage ruling that guidance counselors at a religious school fall under the "ministerial exception" from discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment cases.