Because the purpose of the petition is to gain the release of an unlawfully detained person, the reasons that justify the writ are narrowly defined. The "Great Writ" of habeas corpus is a fundamental right in the Constitution that protects against unlawful and indefinite imprisonment.Habeas Corpus, in the Federal Court, is a petition that claims that you are being detained against your US constitutional rights. A writ of habeas corpus is a judicial mandate to a prison official, usually the warden, ordering that an inmate be brought to the 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. Habeas corpus protects United States citizens from unlawful or indefinite imprisonment. This wrongful detention could be in violation of someone's custody or parenting time order. Thus, rather than examining a case for legal error, a habeas corpus proceeding examines whether any constitutional violations occurred at trial or sentencing. Where do I pay a fine, surcharge, or crime victims assistance fee? How do I find out where a case is pending?