Hewlett-Packard cleared by US judge

A US judge has cleared Hewlett-Packard of allegations that the company acted improperly over the Compaq Computer Corporation acquisition, probably paving the way for the completion of the high-tech industry’s biggest merger.

After a three-day trial last week in Wilmington, Delaware, Chancery Court Judge William Chandler ruled that former HP director Walter Hewlett failed to support his claims that HP bullied a big investor into supporting the Compaq deal and lied to investors about the progress of the merger plans.