Taylor Swift is to face a jury trial over accusations that she copied lyrics for Shake It Off from another song.
On December 9, a federal judge ruled that Swift must face a jury trial over accusations that ‘Shake It Off’ stole lyrics from another song. The case resides on the lyrics “players” and “haters.”
U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald refused the singer’s request to toss out the case. He did so, because he rules that a jury might find her chart-topping song infringed on the copyright ‘Playas Gon’ Play,’ a track released in 2001 by 3LW.
The Jude then went on to note that there are “some noticeable differences,” but that there were “enough objective similarities” that he could not dismiss the case himself.
He continued that Swift’s defense would present “a strong closing argument” for a jury trial, but that she would still need to face one.
The lawsuit was first filed in 2017 by Sean Hall and Nathan Butler, the songwriters who wrote ‘Playas Gon’ Play.’
Previously, the case was dismissed by Judge Fitzgerald on the grounds of “short phrases that lack the modicum of originality and creativity required for copyright protection.” He then went on to cite 13 different songs that use the similar phrases, including ones by The Notorious B.I.G. and Sir Mix-A-Lot.
However, the ruling was reversed a year later by a federal appeals court. They said that the case had been tossed out too early and that the song was sufficiently creative for copyright protection. It was then sent back to Judge Fitzgerald.
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