Federal habeas corpus is a procedure under which a federal court may review the legality of an individual's incarceration. An act for the better securing the liberty of the subject, and for prevention of imprisonments beyond the seas, commonly called "the habeas corpus act."The Habeas Corpus Act 1679 is an Act of Parliament in England (31 Cha. 2. c. 2) during the reign of King Charles II. Attached are the forms you will need to file a petition for a writ of habeas corpus. Habeas Corpus Act of 1679​​ The writ of habeas corpus had its origins in British common law, predating Magna Carta. Habeas Corpus, in the Federal Court, is a petition that claims that you are being detained against your US constitutional rights. The Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court Office is open to the public between the hours of a.m. The Habeas Corpus petition claims the arrest, sentence, or trial violated constitutional law, making imprisonment unlawful. Habeas corpus, mandamus, and prohibition.