Taylor Swift defeats Florida poet's plagiarism lawsuit

A federal judge on Monday dismissed a lawsuit accusing the newly married pop megastar Taylor Swift of plagiarizing phrases from a Florida woman's poems for more than a dozen songs.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon said the plaintiff Kimberly Marasco failed to show that her poems constituted protectable expression, or that Swift had seen the poems and an average person would deem her songs substantially similar.

Marasco represented herself. Reached by email, she said she disagreed with the decision and will appeal.

Lawyers for Swift and the other defendants, including Republic Records and Universal Music Group UMG.AS, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. —REUTERS