The professional standard measures conduct against what a reasonably prudent member of the profession would have done under similar circumstances. It is established through expert testimony from a qualified practitioner.
It is a standard of reasonable competence, not perfection or best practice.
Alternative Names:
Professional Negligence Standard, Standard of Care (Professional)
Why it Matters?
The gap between the standard and best practice is where most professional liability defenses live, since a plaintiff expert will often describe the optimal approach rather than the minimum acceptable one. Establishing the range of acceptable professional judgment, and that the defendant's choice fell within it, defeats claims that would fail against a perfection standard. Contemporaneous professional guidance from the relevant period is the strongest evidence.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Is the standard best practice or minimum competence?
What is judgmental immunity?
