Judge to Rule on Fate of HP Merger Vote

Hewlett-Packard Co. in a defense brief released Saturday asked a Delaware court to clear the name of Chief Executive Carly Fiorina and dismiss a lawsuit challenging its $18-billion merger with Compaq Computer Corp.

Judge William Chandler III of the Delaware Chancery Court is expected to rule today or Tuesday whether to throw out the March 19 shareholder merger vote, which management of the printer and computer maker says it won.

Founding family heir and merger opponent Walter Hewlett, dropped from HP’s board Friday, alleges management tainted the vote by coercing a shareholder and covering up merger problems.