Federal habeas corpus is a procedure under which a federal court may review the legality of an individual's incarceration. The Habeas Corpus Act of 1867 is an act of Congress that significantly expanded the jurisdiction of federal courts to issue writs of habeas corpus.The procedure for filing a petition for a writ of habeas corpus is spelled out in the CPLR Article 70. 1. Notice of appeal 2. The Habeas Corpus Act of 1867 expanded the authority of federal courts to issue writs of habeas corpus for state prisoners. A federal statute restricts the habeas corpus remedy, but do federal judges also have equitable discretion to deny relief to unlawfully detained prisoners? Habeas is a centuriesold avenue for challenging unlawful confinement, used to seek outright release or a conditional release order. The first of these arguments centers on habeas corpus as a common law creation. Do outside research to find out how habeas law applies to you. 5, 1867 Congress passed the Habeas Corpus Act of 1867.