Amyl and the Sniffers’ Amy Taylor Sees Victory in Copyright Dispute

A U.S. federal decide has dominated largely in favour of Amyl and the Sniffers frontwoman Amy Taylor in her ongoing copyright dispute with photographer Jamie Nelson.

Judge George Wu denied Nelson’s anti-SLAPP movement, ordered the events to mediate inside three weeks, and warned the photographer that “things are only going to get worse” if the matter proceeds to trial.

At a listening to earlier than district court docket Judge George Wu within the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on Monday (March 31), Taylor’s lawyer Jonathan Pink described the end result as a near-total victory.

“The U.S. district court today ruled almost entirely in favour of plaintiff, Amy Taylor, giving her the right to amend her federal court action, keeping alive her state-based claims, and leaning on defendant, Jamie Nelson, to settle this lawsuit,” Pink mentioned in an announcement. “In summary, today’s hearing was a near-complete victory for Amy Taylor and nearly the complete opposite for Ms. Nelson.”

Judge Wu set a mediation deadline of April 23, forward of an April 27 listening to, and issued a stark warning to Nelson. Absent a course-correction, Wu indicated he would enter a default judgment in opposition to Nelson’s firm, Jamie Nelson Studios LLC, on April 29.

He additionally dismissed Nelson’s makes an attempt to query the authorized experience of Taylor’s counsel — a 30-year copyright lawyer — and declined to help Nelson along with her claims, noting that such help was not the position of the federal judiciary. In feedback from the bench, the decide instructed Nelson immediately: “Settlement is worth it even if you have to pay more than you want. Things are only going to get worse for you if you go forward.”

Nelson, for her half, maintained that her personal copyright claims remained energetic. “My copyright counterclaims remain active and will continue to move forward against Amy Taylor, Amyl and the Sniffers, John Angus Stewart, and PHC Films,” she instructed Rolling Stone AU/NZ on Tuesday. “This case highlights the realities independent artists face when navigating disputes against well-funded and highly aggressive legal pressure, and I will continue to assert my rights as an artist as this matter proceeds.”

The dispute stems from a 2025 picture shoot for Vogue Portugal, for which Nelson photographed Taylor in a sequence she later titled Champagne Problems.

Taylor’s aspect maintains she agreed to the shoot on the understanding the photographs can be used solely for the journal. Nelson subsequently proposed promoting a choice of the pictures as high quality artwork prints — priced at $3,600 every — and a limited-edition zine, each of which Taylor’s administration rejected. Taylor’s lawsuit, filed in California district court docket in late 2025, alleges Nelson proceeded to listing the prints on the market anyway and continued utilizing the photographs throughout her web site and social media with out authorisation.

The dispute had escalated sharply on the finish of final 12 months. In December 2025, Nelson filed a civil harassment restraining order petition in opposition to Taylor in Los Angeles Superior Court, which the court docket declined to grant.

Nelson has since filed copyright counterclaims of her personal, alleging a 3rd celebration linked to Taylor posted her photos with out permission. The newest listening to marks essentially the most important authorized growth but, with the court docket firmly signalling that settlement is the popular path ahead.

Formed in Melbourne in 2016, Amyl and the Sniffers have grow to be one in all Australia’s most outstanding rock exports. Their 2022 album Comfort to Me debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart and earned widespread worldwide acclaim, together with nominations on the Brit Awards and Australian of the Year recognition for Taylor.