What is the importance of the Tarasoff case?

What will be an ideal response?

This ruling established the legal obligation for a mental health professional to violate confidentiality in order to warn someone that a client has threatened to harm them. In Tarasoff II, the duty to warn was changed to the duty to protect a prospective victim. The duty to protect may be discharged if the therapist makes "reasonable efforts" to inform potential victims and an appropriate law enforcement agency of the pending threat. However, numerous other lawsuits in other jurisdictions have been adjudicated in confusing and inconsistent ways.