Tarasoff v. Regents of University of California

Tarasoff v. Regents of University of California is a landmark legal case from 1976 that established the duty of mental health professionals to warn potential victims if a patient poses a serious threat to them. In this case, a therapy patient disclosed intentions to harm Tatiana Tarasoff, but the therapist failed to inform her or the police. Tarasoff was subsequently killed. The California Supreme Court ruled that mental health professionals have an obligation to take steps to protect individuals when they are aware of a credible threat, balancing patient confidentiality with public safety.