Italian Courts Clarify Threat and Liability Rules in Parking Disputes and Drunk‑Driver Cases

The Italian Court of Cassazione ruled that warning a neighbour with “I’ll call the police if you don’t move the van” does not constitute a criminal threat. In its decision (sentenza 12940/2026) the court clarified that a threat requires the prospect of an unlawful harm, and that invoking the authorities is a legitimate exercise of a citizen’s rights, overturning a prior conviction in a condominium parking dispute.

Separately, the Tribunal of Bolzano reduced a compensation claim by 50% for a passenger who rode with an obviously intoxicated driver. Citing article 1227 of the civil code and following Cassazione precedent (sentenza 21896/2025), the court deemed the passenger partially responsible for the 2018 fatal crash that involved a driver with a blood‑alcohol level above 1.5 g/L. The judgment underscores that voluntarily sharing the risk with an impaired driver can lead to contributory negligence and lower insurance payouts.