New York Court Rejects FBI Request to Access iPhone

Yesterday a federal magistrate judge ruled that Apple did not have to give the United States Government access to an encrypted iPhone. The ruling came in response to a Brooklyn drug case, where investigators wanted to extract data from a locked iPhone to assist their efforts.

The judge found that: “The All Writ’s Act did not justify the government’s request, and denied the government’s request to legally compel Apple’s help. In denying the request, Orenstein finds the government’s interpretation of the All Writs Act is so broad as to be unconstitutional.”

You can read the full decision here.

We are pleased with this decision and, although it’s not binding in other courts, hope it will be helpful in the California case. The first congressional hearing for that case – in which the FBI ordered Apple to provide access into the San Bernardino terrorist’s encrypted iPhone – is set to take place today. We’ll keep providing updates on the situation as it develops.

Learn more from our sources: New York Times and The Verge and NPR