Also known as:Tarasoff duty · duty to warn · Tarasoff rule
Written by attorneys — see sources below.
A duty requiring mental health professionals to take reasonable steps to warn identifiable third parties of serious harm threatened by a patient.
See Our Sources· 2 primary sources
Cases
How its tested
Common Examples
2
Therapist Contacts Police
A patient describes to therapist Tessa Takahashi a detailed plan to shoot his former coworker Trevor Tate. Takahashi notifies police and warns Tate directly. The duty is discharged because the therapist identified the specific threat and took affirmative steps to protect the foreseeable victim.
No Warning Issued
Therapist Timothy Tang learns that patient Travis Tate intends to poison his neighbor Thaddeus Tran but records the threat without notifying anyone. Tate later poisons Tran. The failure to warn leaves the therapist exposed because the identifiable victim received no protection from the known threat.
2 common questions
Put it into practice
Test Yourself
10
Practice Questions5
Students Frequently Ask...
When does a Tarasoff duty arise?
The duty arises when a therapist learns of a serious threat of physical harm directed at an identifiable person.
Does the duty require warning the victim directly?
The duty is satisfied by reasonable steps such as notifying police or the victim. Direct contact with the victim is one acceptable method but not the only one.
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