Explain and defend the court's decision in the Tarasoff case

Answer 1

The Tarasoff case involved an outpatient psychiatric patient who told his counselors that he intended to kill a young woman. Although concerned, the clinic staff allowed the young man to go free and did not warn the young woman of her potential danger. The young man killed the young woman and the clinic justified its action of not warning on the basis of confidentiality. The Tarasoff court decision placed a higher value on the protection of a vulnerable individual than on the maintenance of confidentiality. It was a matter of weighing two different principles.