Habeas corpus is a legal rule that requires a prisoner be presented in court and that the arrester prove that there is proper cause for detaining the prisoner. In United States law, habeas corpus is a recourse challenging the reasons or conditions of a person's confinement under color of law.The Habeas Corpus petition claims the arrest, sentence, or trial violated constitutional law, making imprisonment unlawful. Federal habeas corpus is a procedure under which a federal court may review the legality of an individual's incarceration. Habeas Corpus (Trans: you have the body) -- A writ which brings a person before a court. Habeas corpus is a Latin phrase meaning "produce the body. Habeas corpus is a Latin phrase meaning "produce the body. Remember that a writ of habeas corpus is a lawsuit against the warden who is confining the defendant. The U.S. Supreme Court interprets the Constitution, which means it defines constitutional rights and violations in the cases it decides. Different matters may have different deadlines (e.g.