Taylor Swift heading back to court over reinstated “Shake It Off” lawsuit

Trae Patton/NBC“Shake It Off” is, easily, one of Taylor Swift‘s most recognizable hits.  While the song collected several awards, it also collected several nasty lawsuits.  

USA Today reports that an appeals court on Monday breathed new life into a once-dismissed 2017 suit.  The lawsuit, filed by Sean Hall and Nathan Butler, alleges that Swift stole the lyrics they wrote for 3LW‘s 2001 single “Playas Gon’ Play” for her 2014 smash-hit. 

The lyrics Swift’s accused of ripping off are “The playas gon’ play, Them haters gonna hate” along with “Playas, they gonna play, And haters, they gonna hate.”

Swift’s 2014 song goes “And the players gonna play, play, play, play, play and the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.”

The original suit was dismissed last year by a district court judge who deemed that the lyrics in question lacked originality.  The judge added, “for such short phrases to be protected under the Copyright Act, they must be more creative than the lyrics at issues here.”

Turns out a three-judge panel from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals did not agree with that decision and reinstated the lawsuit.  

The panel reversed the decision based on a ruling from Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, which argued about artistic worth, reports USA Today.

It is unknown when Swift will head back to court.