This section constitutes an overview on California habeas corpus practice as it relates to the handling of criminal appeals. There is an official form (Judicial Council Form HC-001) for filing a state petition for writ of habeas corpus.Federal habeas corpus is a procedure under which a federal court may review the legality of an individual's incarceration. This Chapter explains an important right—the writ of habeas corpus. If you are filing this petition in the superior court, you only need to file the original unless local rules require additional copies. 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. As a procedural remedy, it applies when detention results from neglect of legal process, but not when the lawfulness of the process itself is in question. The Writ of Habeas Corpus protects prison inmates from false imprisonment to ensure people are not thrown into jail unlawfully. The law in the area is an intricate weave of statute and case law.