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Intellectual Property,
Entertainment & Sports,
9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals

Mar. 26, 2025

9th Circuit panel appears split on copyright fight over Sam Smith's 'Dancing With a Stranger'

An appellate panel questioned whether a Los Angeles federal judge acted too quickly in tossing a copyright infringement lawsuit over the song, with one judge suggesting the case may belong before a jury.

A 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel appeared divided Tuesday about whether a federal judge in Los Angeles was too hasty in dismissing a copyright lawsuit against singers Sam Smith and Nordani claiming that their 2019 hit single, "Dancing With a Stranger," infringed a 2015 song.

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP partner Peter J. Anderson, who successfully defended Led Zeppelin against copyright infringement claims that its famous rock epic, "Stairway to Heaven," i...

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