Habeas Corpus, in the Federal Court, is a petition that claims that you are being detained against your US constitutional rights. There are four requirements you must fulfill in order to get state habeas relief: (1) you must be in custody,.In fact, "habeas corpus" is Latin for "you have the body. A Writ of Habeas Corpus is a civil proceeding that is available in both State and Federal Court to challenge the legality of imprisonment. The Writ of Habeas Corpus is a legal defense against unlawful incarceration. The Writ of Habeas Corpus protects prison inmates from false imprisonment to ensure people are not thrown into jail unlawfully. Understand the key differences between an appeal and a writ of habeas corpus, including their purposes, processes, and when to use each in legal cases. Petitioner is confined pursuant to the judgment of the Orange County Superior Court in Case No. 94ZF0036, entered on July 31,. 1996. Latin for "that you have the body. The "Great Writ" of habeas corpus is a fundamental right in the Constitution that protects against unlawful and indefinite imprisonment.