Ed Sheeran arrives to New York Federal Court for week two of copyright trial 

Ed Sheeran was seen arriving at a federal court in New York City on Monday for the second week of a trial in which he is accused of ripping off a Marvin Gaye classic.

The singer appeared outside the court on Monday morning dressed in a suit and with his guitar in tow.

Last week he played his 2014 song 'Thinking Out Loud' in the court to convince a jury that parts were not lifted from Gaye's 1973 soul classic 'Let's Get it On'.

The family of Gaye's co-writer, Ed Townsend, say there are 'striking similarities' between the tracks and his estate is suing for $100 million.

Witnesses began testifying last Tuesday and at the time the trial was expected to last around a week.  

Ed Sheeran was seen arriving at a federal court in New York City on Monday for the second week of a copyright infringement trial

The singer appeared outside the court on Monday morning with his guitar in tow

Also seen arriving at the court on Monday morning was the Townsend family and their attorney, Benjamin Crump. 

Sheeran was the first witness to testify in his defense at Manhattan's federal court on Thursday. 

Sheeran described his process for writing the song about everlasting love soon after he began a new romantic relationship and after his grandfather died.

'I draw inspiration a lot from things in my life and family,' said Sheeran.

Sheeran said his friend and collaborator Amy Wadge started strumming the chords for the song during a visit to his home in England, and that they collaborated on the lyrics.

On the stand, he sang the phrase 'I'm singing out now,' which he said he sang during his songwriting session with Wadge. 

Kathryn Townsend Griffin, the daughter of Ed Townsend, is pictured outside the court on Monday

He said the phrase sounded like, 'I'm thinking out loud,' which ultimately became the title.

'When I write vocal melodies, it's like phonetics,' Sheeran said.

He then picked up a guitar from behind the witness stand, played the chord progression to the song, and sang the opening words: 'When your legs don't work like they used to.'

Lawyers for the heirs last week displayed a video of Sheeran transitioning seamlessly between 'Thinking Out Loud and 'Let's Get it On' in a live performance they said amounted to a confession that he had ripped off the song. 

Benjamin Crump, the attorney to the Townsend estate, attends court on Monday morning

Sheeran responded to that accusation by telling the jury that he regularly combines songs as part of the live performance.

'I mash up songs at lots of gigs. Many songs have similar chords. You can go from "Let It Be" to "No Woman No Cry" and switch back,' he said.

'And quite frankly, if I'd done what you're accusing me of doing, I'd be quite an idiot to stand on a stage in front of 20,000 people and do that,' he added. 

His song topped charts in both the UK and the United States. In 2016 it won a Grammy Award for song of the year but in 2017 Townsend's family sued for copyright infringement.

Kathryn Townsend Griffin, who is among Townsend's heirs suing Sheeran - fell while trying to leave Manhattan Federal Court on Wednesday.

She was helped up by several people but had to be stretchered out of court and was taken to hospital.