A federal judge in Florida has dismissed a copyright infringement lawsuit against American pop star Taylor Swift, which accused the singer of plagiarizing poetry written by a Florida resident for several of her songs. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon ruled on Monday that the plaintiff, Kimberly Marasco, failed to demonstrate that her self-published poems constituted legally protectable expression or that Swift had access to her work prior to releasing her 2024 album, The Tortured Poets Department.
In her decision, Judge Cannon highlighted that any similarities between Marasco’s poems and Swift’s tracks—such as “Down Bad” and “I Can Do It with a Broken Heart”—were limited to unprotectable ideas, common themes, metaphors, and isolated words. The court noted that concepts like facing adversity, being “gaslighted,” or being “submerged” in water do not qualify for copyright protection. Furthermore, the judge pointed out that the plaintiff’s own characterization of the alleged copying as “paraphrases” or “rephrases” undermined the claim of substantial similarity.
This ruling marks the final dismissal of the case with prejudice, meaning the plaintiff is barred from amending her complaint to file it again. Judge Cannon had previously dismissed an earlier version of Marasco’s lawsuit in September. Marasco, who represented herself in the legal proceedings, expressed disagreement with the court’s decision and confirmed her intention to appeal the ruling. Representatives for Swift and co-defendants Republic Records and Universal Music Group have not yet commented publicly on the decision.
The legal victory follows a period of significant personal and professional milestones for the 36-year-old pop icon. Swift recently married Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce in New York City on July 3, amid her ongoing record-breaking global tour. The dismissal resolves one of several legal challenges the singer-songwriter has faced regarding her creative output, allowing her to maintain focus on her highly successful musical career.
