Faayou Staff Legal Reporter

Oracle Corp may use an internal Google Inc email Google fought to keep under wraps in a high stakes patent case over the Java programming language, a U.S. judge has ruled.

Oracle sued Google last year, alleging the Web search leader's Android mobile operating technology infringes Oracle's Java patents.

Shortly before Oracle filed its lawsuit, a Google engineer drafted an email saying Google needs to negotiate a license for Java. However, Google sought to prevent Oracle from using the email in its case.

The judge has ruled that Google failed to identify any aspect of the challenged order that was “clearly erroneous or contrary to law”.