Taylor Swift seeks dismissal of 'Showgirl' trademark lawsuit

Taylor Swift's lawyers have asked a federal judge in Los Angeles to throw out a trademark lawsuit over The Life of a Showgirl. The request was set out in replies filed in court and reported on 23 September 2026, with a hearing scheduled for early October.

The case was brought in March by Maren Wade, a former Las Vegas showgirl who says she owns rights linked to a similar showgirl brand. Wade built that brand from a 2014 column in Las Vegas Weekly into a live show and touring production, plus a book, a podcast and a registered trademark, according to the filings described by Rolling Stone.

Wade accused Swift of trademark infringement, the legal claim that one use of a name is likely to confuse customers into thinking two products come from the same source. She sought unspecified money damages and a court order blocking Swift's use of the showgirl branding, Reuters reported at the time. She also asked for an emergency pause on merchandise sales while the case continues.

Swift's legal team wants the whole claim dismissed. They called the lawsuit meritless and baseless in the filings and asked for dismissal with prejudice, meaning the case would end permanently and could not be refiled.

The defence rejected the idea that shoppers could be misled. Wade had argued that consumers might be confused into believing Swift is the source of, or associated with, Wade's podcast, book or cabaret performances. Swift's lawyers called that suggestion nonsensical.

A large part of the defence rests on free expression. Her lawyers argued the album is a classic expressive work that is protected from trademark claims, even when its title overlaps with another brand. T-shirts and other promotional merchandise, they said, are a logical extension of that work, not separate products that trademark law can block.

Swift's team also challenged where and how she is being sued. They argued the Los Angeles federal court lacks personal jurisdiction, the question of whether a court has power over someone who lives outside its area, because Swift is a Tennessee resident. They separately argued that Wade's claim under California's Unfair Competition Law cannot be applied to conduct involving a Nevada plaintiff.

For fans, this means the fight is now about law rather than release dates. Wade's side has pointed to an earlier refusal by the trademark office, which in November 2025 turned down an attempt by Swift's team to register The Life of a Showgirl, as described by California Lawyers Association. Swift's side says that history does not create confusion or liability.

The judge will test those competing positions at the October hearing.