A Florida federal judge has denied poet Kimberly Marasco’s request to prevent Taylor Swift from allegedly infringing on her work in lyrics across four albums. Marasco, who is seeking $25 million in damages, claims that Swift’s songs contain substantial similarities to her own poetry.
Marasco, a Florida-based poet, alleges that Swift’s lyrics in songs from albums such as “Lover,” “Folklore,” “Evermore,” and “Midnights” mirror her own poetic expressions. She contends that specific themes and phrases in Swift’s work are derived from her poetry collections, including “Fallen from Grace” and “Songs of the Unsung.” ([govinfo.gov](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-flsd-2_24-cv-14153/pdf/USCOURTS-flsd-2_24-cv-14153-0.pdf?utm_source=openai))
Swift’s legal team has characterized the lawsuit as “frivolous and harassing,” arguing that the elements Marasco claims were copied—such as common words and themes—are not subject to copyright protection. They assert that Marasco’s claims are legally baseless and should be dismissed. ([musicbusinessworldwide.com](https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/taylor-swift-seeks-to-have-poets-frivolous-and-absurd-copyright-infringement-lawsuit-dismissed/?utm_source=openai))
Judge Aileen Cannon, presiding over the case, previously dismissed a similar lawsuit filed by Marasco, stating that the poet’s works amounted to ideas and themes not eligible for copyright protection. Despite this, Marasco refiled her complaint, expanding the list of defendants to include Swift’s collaborators and record labels. ([radiox.cms.socastsrm.com](https://radiox.cms.socastsrm.com/2025/09/29/taylor-swift-lawsuit-dismissed-judge-rules-star-didnt-copy-poems-for-her-song-lyrics/?utm_source=openai))
In the recent ruling, Judge Cannon denied Marasco’s request for an injunction to prevent Swift from performing or distributing the contested songs. The judge emphasized that Marasco had not demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits of her claims, nor had she shown that she would suffer irreparable harm without the injunction.
This decision underscores the challenges plaintiffs face in copyright infringement cases, particularly when alleging similarities in common themes and expressions. The case continues to proceed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, with both parties preparing for the next stages of litigation.