Federal habeas corpus is a procedure under which a federal court may review the legality of an individual's incarceration. An application for a writ of habeas corpus asks a court to overturn your conviction because of a state or federal constitutional violation.The writ of habeas corpus is the fundamental instrument for safeguarding individual freedom against arbitrary and lawless government action. 2. A Writ of Habeas Corpus (Latin for "that you have the body") may be filed on behalf of a person who is unlawfully imprisoned. In United States law, habeas corpus is a recourse challenging the reasons or conditions of a person's confinement under color of law. The state writ of habeas corpus is a legal mechanism that allows individuals to challenge their detention or imprisonment. Translated from Latin it means "show me the body. A writ of habeas corpus is a legal tool that a person can use to enforce a superior right of possession to a child. In Texas, the state writ of habeas corpus is a legal mechanism that allows individuals to challenge their detention or imprisonment. An application for a writ of habeas corpus asks a court to overturn your conviction because of a state or federal constitutional violation.