Appendix B provides a checklist you can refer to when putting together your federal habeas corpus petition. Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus.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. This Chapter explains the writ of habeas corpus and lays out the procedures you will need to follow to petition for the writ. Federal habeas corpus is a procedure under which a federal court may review the legality of an individual's incarceration. Any prisoner, or another person acting on their behalf, may petition the court, or a judge, for a writ of habeas corpus. Modernly, the writ of habeas corpus goes far beyond the literal interpretation of "produce the body. To file a habeas corpus petition, you must prepare a written request to a court or judge, known as a writ of habeas corpus. The Petition of Right in 1628 charged that the king's jailers were ignoring writs of habeas corpus and illegally detaining English subjects. ❖ Read this only if you need to file in a county in Washington State besides.