SAN FRANCISCO — A San Francisco bluetooth headset maker says Fish & Richardson played an unseemly game of hot potato by dropping it as a client and then turning around and suing for patent infringement the very next day.

Aliph Inc. moved to disqualify (.pdf) Fish from representing bluetooth rival Plantronics in the patent case two weeks ago, arguing that the firm shouldn’t be allowed to sue its own client or get out of the mess by suddenly disowning Aliph at 8:30 p.m. the night before.