LIGHTING THE LIT FUSE
- Florida artist Kimberly Marasco launches a new legal salvo, accusing Taylor Swift and top collaborators of pilfering her poetry for multiple hit songs.
- The lawsuit expands to name Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner, Universal Music Group, and Republic Records, raising the stakes in an already fiery copyright battle.
- With a prior case tossed for procedural missteps, Marasco is back—this time demanding $25 million and zeroing in on lyrics, choreography, and creative content.
By Samuel Lopez – USA Herald
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MIAMI, FL – In what could be one of the most closely watched copyright showdowns of 2025, Taylor Swift is once again the center of a legal storm. Florida-based poet and self-described author Kimberly Marasco has filed a fresh federal lawsuit in the Southern District of Florida, alleging that Swift, along with her collaborators and music labels, copied substantial portions of Marasco’s poetry for multiple high-profile songs.
Filed on February 28, 2025, under case number 2:2025cv14067, the complaint accuses Swift of using original copyrighted material—both lyrical and thematic—and turning it into chart-topping music without authorization or compensation. Marasco, representing herself in the case, is demanding $25 million in damages under the U.S. Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. § 501.
Presiding over the lawsuit is U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez. Also named as defendants are acclaimed producers Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner, along with music industry giants Universal Music Group, Inc., and Republic Records.
“What makes this lawsuit unique is not just the celebrity name at the center—but the broader implications for intellectual property rights in music,” – Samuel Lopez, USA Herald.
