Steve Wallace filed a lawsuit against the singer and Sony/BMG Music Publishing Inc. on May 5.
The man claims that he wrote the song in 1990. In 1994 he shopped the song to producers, and in 1997 he entered the song in a music competition in Pennsylvania.
Wallace also presented an email to the court from Spears stating, "I now know for a fact that you wrote sometimes. But there’s nothing I can do about it. That’s all I can say about it."
Spears obtained a copyright for Sometimes in 1999. The song was released on her first album Baby One More Time and was also on her compilation CD Greatest Hits: My Perogative.