Judge Allows Inari to Raise ‘Unclean Hands’ in Corteva Seed Case

Inari Agriculture Inc. can keep arguing that Corteva Inc. subsidiaries filed a seed-patent lawsuit in bad faith and relied on unenforceable rights, a Delaware federal judge ruled.

Judge John Frank Murphy allowed some of Inari’s counterclaims and defenses proceed but tossed others, according to an opinion issued Tuesday in the US District Court for the District of Delaware. Inari can still pursue allegations including that Corteva restricted access to public seed deposits while using related patents and certificates to sue, he said.

The case pits three Corteva units that develop and sell genetically engineered seeds against Inari and its Belgian ...