All Writs Act (Apple case) vs the 13th amendment?
<p>I'm just curious if there's ever been any case law on the kind of writs a court can write in reference to the 13th amendment?</p>

<p>As a layperson,  it sure seems to me that ordering a company to develop a new piece of code (As opposed to merely handing over existing data),  seems to fit my understanding of the term "involuntary servitude".</p>

<p>The Supreme Court has held, in Butler v. Perry, 240 U.S. 328 (1916), that the Thirteenth Amendment does not prohibit "enforcement of those duties which individuals owe to the state, such as services in the army, militia, on the jury, etc." "Etc." would include compliance with a reasonable court order; the "reasonableness" of the order may well trigger its own case. </p>

<p>I note in passing, that Apple is entitled to recover the costs of compliance.</p>

constitutional-law