John M. Abell v. Raymond Frank, Individually and in His Capacity of Sheriff, Travis County, Tx.

R. LANIER ANDERSON, Circuit Judge:

Petitioner, a psychotherapist formerly licensed to practice in Texas, is the defendant in two civil actions filed in the district court of Travis County, Texas, by former patients. Plaintiffs in those lawsuits assert several causes of action which relate to petitioner’s sexual relationships with them during the periods they were his patients. The issue before us concerns certain interrogatories propounded by plaintiffs which petitioner refuses to answer. 1 Plaintiffs obtained an order from the trial judge compelling petitioner to answer the interrogatories,…