A federal judge in Florida dismisses a copyright infringement lawsuit accusing Taylor Swift of plagiarizing phrases from a Florida poet’s work used in more than a dozen of her songs. The case is filed by Kimberly Marasco, described by outlets as a lesser-known poet, and had been pending for about 14 months before the court ruling. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon dismisses the claims with prejudice, meaning the plaintiff cannot refile the suit.
According to multiple reports, the judge finds that Marasco does not show her poems contain “protectable expression” under copyright law, and that the allegations rely on material that is not eligible for protection, such as common themes or phrases. Several sources also say the court concludes Marasco fails to establish key elements of infringement, including that Swift had seen the poems and that an average listener would find the songs substantially similar to the poems.
Marasco indicates she plans to appeal, but the dismissal remains in effect unless overturned. Swift’s legal team characterizes the lawsuit as without merit.
