What is the difference between a subsequent and consequent situation?

Answer 1

For something that comes after something else in time or order, choose the adjective subsequent. If the entire class fails an exam, the teacher will hopefully make subsequent ones a little easier.

Subsequent comes from the Latin subsequi "to follow closely" and means just that - following or coming after. If you say, "in 1990 and subsequent years," it includes 1990, whereas "the years subsequent to 1990" do not include it. When you mention a car crash and subsequent traffic jam or a scandal and subsequent investigation, one follows the other in order but a cause and effect relationship is implied too.

When something happens as a result of something else, you can describe it as consequent. Rapidly melting snow often causes consequent flooding, for example.

A politician might talk about raising the minimum wage and consequent improvements in workers' lives - in other words, she believes the positive changes for workers would be a direct result of higher minimum pay. One thing would follow the other. You're most likely to come across the adjective consequent in formal speech or writing. The Latin root word is consequi, "to follow after."

http://www.translegal.com/common-mistakes/consequent-and-subsequent

Answer 2

A subsequent situation follows in chronological order, while a consequent situation is a result or outcome of a previous event or action. Subsequent situations are typically the next in a series, while consequent situations are caused by something else.