Led Zeppelin sentenced to stand trial in the "Stairway to Heaven" case

Led Zeppelin is expected to resume the trial in a lawsuit that accuses the legendary rock band of introducing the intro of its rock anthem "Stairway to Heaven" in a little-known instrument of the 1960s, ordered a federal appeals court on Friday.

The Court of Appeals of the 9th San Francisco Circuit has overturned the 2016 jury verdict, which concluded that the famous British band had not stolen any original music from "Taurus", a Los group title Angeles in 1968

"Taurus" was written by the late guitarist Spirit, Randy Wolfe, better known as Randy California, whose confidence led to the trial for copyright infringement.

Michael Skidmore, director of Wolfe, said that Led Zeppelin's lead singer, Robert Plant, and guitarist Jimmy Page, may have been inspired by "Stairway" Wolfe's never had credit.

The defendants stated that Wolfe was a committed songwriter who had no copyright, and that the opening of "Stairway" – a descending chromatic progression to four chords – was a convention common musical system that did not deserve the protection of the author's right.

The 2016 jury felt that the two songs were not noticeably similar.

But the federal court of appeal that overturned the 2016 ruling ruled that parts of the jury's instructions in this trial were flawed and prejudicial. The Court of Appeal also found that the US District Court that decided the first trial abused its discretion by not allowing "Taurus" recordings to be broadcast during the proceedings.