Fortinet Can’t Show English Court Would Hear BT Patent Case

Fortinet Inc. couldn’t get a patent infringement dispute with British Telecommunications PLC dismissed from Delaware federal court because it didn’t prove for certain that an English court could hear BT’s claims.

Fortinet’s argument that BT’s claims could likely be heard in England, without citing any English cases or statutes, wasn’t enough to justify dismissing the case, the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware said Dec. 5.

BT sued Fortinet for infringing five patents related to computer and network security. Fortinet said that a contract between the parties included governing law and forum-selection clauses that required the suit to...