A federal judge in the United States has thrown out a lawsuit alleging that pop superstar Taylor Swift, who recently got married, copied phrases from a Florida woman’s poems for over a dozen songs. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that the plaintiff, Kimberly Marasco, did not demonstrate that her poems were protectable expressions or that Swift had access to them and that an average person would find her songs significantly similar.
Marasco, who represented herself, expressed disagreement with the decision and plans to appeal. On the other hand, representatives for Swift and the other defendants, including Republic Records and Universal Music Group, did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
The lawsuit accused Swift, 36, of using material from Marasco’s poetry books in songs like “Down Bad” and “I Can Do It with a Broken Heart” from Swift’s 2024 album “The Tortured Poets Department.” However, the judge concluded that any similarities between Marasco’s poems and Swift’s songs were limited to unprotectable ideas, themes, metaphors, and isolated words.
Judge Cannon cited examples such as facing challenges, being “gaslighted,” and being “submerged” underwater. This dismissal follows a previous rejection of Marasco’s lawsuit in September, where the judge highlighted that the alleged copying was characterized as paraphrasing, rephrasing, and minor word substitutions.
The decision on Monday was made with prejudice, preventing Marasco from revising her complaint. Taylor Swift tied the knot with Travis Kelce, also 36, a prominent football player, at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan on July 3.
