One of the arguments the Justice Department has deployed in its bid to force Apple to bypass security protections on the iPhone is that there’s no precedent being set in the case. In a blog post to the website Lawfare, James Comey, director of the FBI, wrote: “The San Bernardino litigation isn’t about trying to set a precedent or send any kind of message. It is about the victims and justice.” I have no doubt that Director Comey and other FBI agents sincerely believe that breaking into this particular iPhone is a matter of justice. The FBI’s claims that this isn’t about precedent, however, fall flat when you consider that the organization has submitted 12 additional claims under the All Writs Act that would force Apple to unlock other devices in various cases that have absolutely nothing to do with terrorism. The list of cases runs the gamut, from devices running iOS 4.2.1, to hardware with iOS 9.1. All of these cases involve the All Writs Act, but none of the details have been m...