SALT LAKE CITY — A local attorney is representing Taylor Swift in small claims court in Utah after a man filed a lawsuit claiming he was harmed by her agents’ refusal to pass along songs he wrote.
Russell Greer wants Swift to produce music he wrote, and he filed a lawsuit October 11 after he was unable to get her agents to forward her the music he had written.
Swift is represented by local attorney Greg Skordas, who filed a motion to have the claim dismissed. Greer filed an opposition to that motion earlier this week, and a judge in small claims court will hear arguments on the motion in court Thursday.
In the motion to dismiss, Skordas alleges that Greer made numerous attempts to provide copies of his music to Swift, despite being told of a “No Unsolicited Submissions” policy.
When management declined to forward the music to Swift, Greer began contacting Swift’s parents and brother through numerous channels.
Greer is seeking $7,000 in damages, saying he has spent considerable time and money to produce music in an effort to attract Swift’s attention without success.
He argues in his filing that he suffers from disabilities and mental health issues that make him “an eggshell skull” plaintiff who is extra susceptible to damages, and that celebrities and their agents should be held to a “higher standard of care” in their dealings with people.
Based on that, he is claiming negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. He told Fox 13 in an email, “I feel this needs to be reported on so people know what she did to a disabled songwriter.”
Skordas argues that Greer and Swift have never had any contact, that no special relationship exists between them, and that she is therefore under no obligation to contact him or collaborate with him.
Skordas tells Fox 13 News the lawsuit is “frivolous.” In his motion to dismiss, he also alleges that Greer stated the lawsuit was all an effort to meet Swift in person.
“In the video, Plaintiff also explains in detail that he does not want the money he is requesting and he chose to file his action in this manner because of his belief that Ms. Swift would be required to appear in person,” Skordas wrote. “As he says in his YouTube post, ‘Taylor, I sue you to show you I care,’ and so that she will be forced to come to Salt Lake City and ‘com[e] to dinner with me.'”
