"Duty this Time" Song

Lyrics Copyright © 2002 Garret Wilson

To the tune of "Easy Tonight" by Five for Fighting.

[Enumerates the 7-8 "Tarasoff Factors" of Tarasoff v. Regents of the Univ. of California (1976).]

Dr. Moore at U. of C.
His patient was released
But not before the patient said
Tarasoff will be dead

A doctor-client relationship
Is good enough to fit
Parent-child, or employee
Land and chattel, custody

Tatiana never had a chance
Could have been but it wasn't happenstance
You knew, surely you could have warned
Told someone the thoughts he formed
Doctor and patient privilege has to end
At the same place where public safety does begin

If there is harm you can foresee,
A large degree of certainty,
All right, there's a duty this time.
Connection to what causes pain,
What you do has moral blame,
All right, there's a duty this time.

A policy to prevent harm
The burden's light for you to warn
All right, there's a duty this time.
If it helps the community
There's insurance for a fee
All right, there's a duty this time.

[The provided audio incorrectly includes the lyrics "there's no insurance for a fee" rather than "there's insurance for a fee."]