Koch Industries Must Defend Claims It Conspired Against a Rival

Koch Industries Inc. must face a Texas lawsuit against Houston-based Engineering Alliance Group and its owner Triten Corp., after a state appeals court ruled Tuesday that Koch forfeited its ability to appear in the case to challenge jurisdiction by simultaneously litigating the merits.

Koch had previously worked with Triten, a Texas company involved in the construction industry and eventually tried to buy Triten’s engineering subsidiary, IAG, which plans and executes capital projects.

But Triten rejected Koch’s $10 million offer, the Texas Court of Appeals, First District, said.

Triten alleges that after Koch was unable to purchase the company, it “conceived ...