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By Jenna Sundel
News Reporter
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U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon partially granted Florida artist Kimberly Marasco's motion for an extension to serve musician Taylor Swift with legal documents in a copyright lawsuit after Marasco said she was having trouble finding Swift.
Marasco asked the court to extend the time to serve, authorize alternative methods of service and reimburse costs associated with service attempts.
Cannon granted Marasco's request for an extension to serve Swift until June 15. The motion was denied without prejudice on all other grounds.
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Why It Matters
Copyright lawsuits against major recording artists have become increasingly frequent, reflecting the heightened scrutiny over creative ownership and intellectual property in the music industry. Marasco's lawsuit alleges Swift and her collaborators used Marasco's poetry without permission.
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Marasco, who is representing herself in the case, has documented her various attempts to serve Swift in legal filings. If Marasco is unable to serve Swift with the lawsuit, she runs the risk of Swift being dropped from the case or the entire suit being dismissed.
Newsweek reached out to Marasco and a representative for Swift for comment.
What To Know
Cannon noted that Marasco appeared to have shown due diligence in her various service attempts, as described in the motion, but emphasized that Marasco must comply with all procedural and jurisdictional requirements of Florida statutes should she pursue substituted service in the future.
Marasco has detailed unsuccessful attempts to serve Swift, including reaching out to sheriff's offices and process servers in California, Tennessee, New York and Rhode Island.
In California, security at a residence associated with Swift turned away process servers multiple times, claiming the singer was not home. In Tennessee, a service effort yielded an affidavit of non-service, with the Davidson County sheriff stating Swift owns property at the address in question but does not reside there.
The Rhode Island Sheriff's Office warned Marasco's process server would be arrested for trespassing if further served attempts were made at the location.
In a memorandum opposing Marasco's motion, attorneys for the defendants James Douglas Baldridge and Katherine Wright Morrone said Marasco had failed to follow "obvious leads" on Swift's whereabouts.
"For example, despite public reporting that Artist was in New York City in March
2025, Plaintiff attempted service on the other side of the country in California," the attorneys wrote. "Similarly, Plaintiff attempted service at a Rhode Island property in April 2025, despite being aware that the house was undergoing 'major' renovations (and had been for months)."
The case, filed by Marasco in February, alleges that Taylor Swift, Universal Music Group, Republic Records, Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner used creative material from Marasco's published poetry collections without authorization. The complaint cites songs and music videos from Swift's albums Lover, Folklore, Midnights and The Tortured Poets Department as allegedly infringing works. Marasco is seeking $25 million in damages in this lawsuit.
She is also involved in a related, earlier suit regarding similar claims.
Marasco's previous attempts to serve Swift in the original lawsuit failed, leading to Swift being dismissed by Cannon in December 2024. The claims against the singer's production company remain unresolved.
Baldridge and Wright Morrone referenced Marasco's first attempt to sue Swift in their memorandum.
"In what is now Plaintiff's second frivolous lawsuit against Artist, Plaintiff has again failed to perfect service. Instead, Plaintiff asks the court for a range of relief without meeting any of the required burdens to show it is warranted," Baldridge and Wright Morrone said.
In the latest suit, Cannon has instructed all defendants to not respond until everyone has been served.
Amid rising costs, Marasco also sought permission to file court documents electronically, arguing that mailing and travel fees had become "burdensome." Cannon denied this request, finding Marasco ineligible for electronic filing under current court rules.
What People Are Saying
Marasco previously told Newsweek: "Printing documents using my HP Inkjet printer incurs approximately $120 for ink and paper, and the frequent need to purchase supplies adds to the financial burden. Additionally, traveling to the courthouse for in-person submissions is time-intensive, and mailing documents introduces further delays."
Baldridge and Wright Morrone, in a memorandum: "While Plaintiff has made service attempts at various residences across the country, critically, she appears to have ignored public reporting as to where Artist was located and therefore failed to follow several 'obvious leads.'"
What Happens Next
Cannon has required Marasco to serve Taylor Swift by June 15 to keep the suit active. The proceedings remain paused until all defendants are properly served.
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