The judge in Brooklyn denied a motion by the US Justice Department to get Apple to unlock a phone in a drug case.
In an unrelated case, the FBI wants Apple to unlock the iPhone of Syed Rizwan Farook, who killed 14 people in San Bernardino, California in December.
But Apple has resisted, calling that demand "dangerous" and "unprecedented".
The ruling in Brooklyn on Monday centres on the same point as the San Bernardino case.
The two court cases are not linked - the magistrate in San Bernardino doesn't have to pay any attention to the ruling and remarks from the New York judge.
But Apple feels the decision in New York gives added strength to its position. A senior Apple spokesman told reporters in a conference call that he was confident the San Bernardino judge would carefully analyse the New York ruling.
(Extracts from BBC)
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