In fact, "habeas corpus" is Latin for "you have the body. Habeas Corpus, in the Federal Court, is a petition that claims that you are being detained against your US constitutional rights.Translated from Latin it means "show me the body. To get a writ of habeas corpus, you must file a petition for a civil (not criminal) proceeding in either state or federal court. A Writ of Habeas Corpus is a civil proceeding that is available in both State and Federal Court to challenge the legality of imprisonment. Thus, rather than examining a case for legal error, a habeas corpus proceeding examines whether any constitutional violations occurred at trial or sentencing. How do I file a Writ of Habeas Corpus? Supreme Court - New York County - Criminal Term. 1. Habeas corpus is Latin for "that you have the body" or "show me the body," and functions as legal shorthand from a judge to a corrections officer. Federal habeas corpus is a procedure under which a federal court may review the legality of an individual's incarceration.