New York judge rules feds can't force Apple to unlock an iPhone

A federal judge in the Eastern District of New York ruled Monday that the Department of Justice cannot force Apple to unlock a phone for the FBI. The decision hands Apple a potentially useful victory in its legal battle over iPhone security, though it came in a Brooklyn drug case that's far removed from the San Bernardino shootings.

The ruling rejects the government's argument that the All Writs Act, a law from 1789, can be used to force Apple to help access a suspect's iPhone.

In his ruling, U.S. Magistrate Judge James Orenstein writes, "I conclude that under the circumstances of this case, the government has failed to establish either that the AWA permits the relief it seeks or that, even if such an order is authorized, the discretionary factors I must consider weigh in favor of granting the motion." Read more...