Habeas Corpus, in the Federal Court, is a petition that claims that you are being detained against your US constitutional rights. Federal habeas corpus is a procedure under which a federal court may review the legality of an individual's incarceration.A writ of habeas corpus requires that a person who is in custody be brought before a judge or court and that they be able to challenge that custody. What is habeas corpus? The literal meaning of habeas corpus is "you should have the body". Habeas corpus means "show me the body. The literal meaning of habeas corpus is "you should have the body". This Guidebook is organized in the sequence that a habeas petition proceeds through the Court and is written in a question-and answer format. Even though we try to suggest materials that will be of help, further research is usually required to find a complete and correct answer. The "Great Writ" of habeas corpus is a fundamental right in the Constitution that protects against unlawful and indefinite imprisonment.