Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus - 2254. Case reports, free online sources, complaints and other pleadings, court records, divorce decree information on changing the law, judges' reversal rates.A writ of habeas corpus was "in the nature of a writ of error, to examine the legality of the commit ment. " Ex parte Watkins, 3 Pet. Type of writ of habeas corpus used to bring prisoner to court to testify. HABEAS CORPUS - The name of a writ used to bring a person before a court or judge to decide whether that person is being unlawfully denied his or her freedom. 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. As such, writs of mandamus are rather rare. One of the earliest cases involving a request for a writ of mandamus came before the Supreme Court in the Marbury v. The "Great Writ" of habeas corpus is a fundamental right in the Constitution that protects against unlawful and indefinite imprisonment.