Hewlett-Packard won a small legal victory earlier this week, when a federal judge in Texas dismissed a lawsuit filed by a former executive with the IT giant.

In his ruling, which was released late on Jan. 25, U.S. District Court Judge Michale Schneider ordered that Karl Kamb, a former HP executive, withdraw his counterclaim against his former employer.

However, Schneider wrote that Kamb and his attorneys could refile their lawsuit again if the records were kept under seal with the court. The judge also ruled that Kamb and his attorneys could not attach any legal exhibits to another lawsuit or speak to the press about the allegations.

"The only comment that the Parties may make to such third party is that the Counterclaim would be withdrawn and refiled under seal," Schneider wrote in his order.

Read the rest of this eWEEK story: "Federal Judge Dismisses HP Countersuit"