Court rules that man can't be forced to give up the password to his encrypted volumes.
A federal judge in Vermont has ruled that a man cannot be forced to hand over his password for a Truecrypt encrypted volume on his laptop saying that giving up the password would grant access to information that the prosecution is currently unaware of that may be used to convict him.
More information: http://www.news.com/8301-13578_3-9834495-38.html?tag=newsmap
Seems like a legal stretch to me. Courts have ruled in the past that encryption keys are like any other type of key to a safe or a warehouse and can be compelled.
On the other hand this could be the beginning of some sane legal decisions for privacy. Our computers are much more than just repositories of files, they are windows into our minds and souls. As many email administrator can verify, you will quickly learn more than you want to know about your users by reviewing the bounced mail folder for attachments. People use their computers without thinking about the privacy issues and to allow unrestricted access is in many cases a violation of the rights against self incrimination.
