Habeas corpus, in other words, is a petition that asks the court to completely dismiss the charges against you over the Prosecutor's objection. Put simply, habeas corpus is a writ (petition) that can be used in a narrow set of circumstances to bring the case of a state prisoner.The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in the case of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it. In Philadelphia, the petition for writ of habeas corpus is more commonly called a Motion to Quash. Prisoners can sometimes use a petition for writ of habeas corpus to challenge the legality of a criminal conviction or inhumane prison conditions. Habeas corpus is a Latin phrase meaning "produce the body. Habeas petitions provide prisoners whose rights are being violated with a means of requesting assistance from a judge. They see it as an affront to state courts and as a vehicle for dangerous, guilty people to go free. § 2255 is not a petition for a writ of habeas corpus, but it has the same effect. Therefore, it is still referred to as a habeas petition. 7.