Taylor Swift has defeated a copyright lawsuit brought by a self-published Florida poet who claimed the newly married superstar lifted lyrics, imagery, and ideas from her poems for several songs and videos.
In a stern 10-page ruling issued Monday and obtained by Rolling Stone, a federal judge in Florida permanently dismissed Kimberly Marasco’s lawsuit, finding that it “closely mirrors” a prior complaint from Marasco that likewise failed. The judge said no amount of “careful drafting” in the follow-up filing could transform “basic ideas” and “ubiquitous metaphors” into protectable expression.
For instance, Marasco had claimed Swift’s song “The Man,” with its lyrics stating, “I’m so sick of running as fast as I can/Wondering if I’d get there quicker if I was a man,” infringed on her poem Ordinary Citizen, which stated, “I’m running behind/You say its His word against mine.” She alleged both describe a woman working in a male-dominated office environment, and her poem came first.
She also alleged that a poem she wrote on X.com titled Elon=MC2 that referenced “Elon being a genius” was “eerily similar” to Swift’s song “Mastermind,” in which she wrote the line, “To assess the equation of you.” According to Marasco, both songs relate to “someone as a mathematical equation.” In a separate claim, she also asserted ownership over the familiar image of leaves turning “gold.”
“These are quintessential themes, concepts, and isolated words—exactly the kind of material copyright law does not protect,” U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon wrote in her order. “None of plaintiff’s twelve counts identifies any protected expression,” she ruled.
“I disagree with the decision and will be appealing it,” Marasco said in an email to Rolling Stone.
Swift’s longtime lawyer, James Douglas Baldridge, did not respond to a request for comment. In his motion to dismiss Marasco’s latest complaint, he called Marasco’s lawsuit “frivolous and harassing.” He argued the poet was laying claim to the concept of betrayal as well as the simple words “fire” and “love.” The attorney further argued Marasco failed to show how his client even had access to her work. The judge agreed, noting that Marasco herself conceded her books were “not presently being marketed,” and that one book sold only 300 copies globally.
“Plaintiff’s claims are, as in her last lawsuit, absurd and legally baseless,” Baldridge wrote in the motion filed last December. “Plaintiff has wasted the time and resources of [Swift], the other defendants, and this court for long enough. This case is legally and factually meritless and should, again, be dismissed with prejudice.”
Marasco filed her newly dismissed lawsuit in February 2025, adding UMG and Republic Records as defendants and broadening her claims to cover four additional songs. Her initial lawsuit, filed in May 2024, was dismissed with prejudice in September 2025. She also sued Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner, but she later dropped Antonoff from the case, and the court previously dismissed Dessner.
