A sketch of Taylor Swift (L) and her attorneys in Denver Federal Court with plaintiff David Mueller (2nd R) during the Swift groping trial in Denver U.S. August 8, 2017. REUTERS/Jeff Kandyba

DENVER (Reuters) - Pop star Taylor Swift on Friday won a preliminary round in a federal court trial stemming from her allegation that she was groped by a Colorado disc jockey, as the judge dismissed the DJ’s rival claim accusing the singer of wrongfully getting him fired.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge William Martinez left intact Swift’s assault and battery countersuit against David Mueller, who had asserted he was falsely accused by the recording star and ousted from his $150,000-a-year job at radio station KYGO-FM under pressure from her.