First, a U.S.C. § 2254 allows us to file a petition for Habeas Corpus when the client is in custody under sentence of a state court and is in a state prison. A Writ of Habeas Corpus is a civil proceeding that is available in both State and Federal Court to challenge the legality of imprisonment.Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus. I am trying to file a writ of habeas corpus for my brother that is incarcerated in wayne county jail. I need help filling it out. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may fill out an Application for Legal Representation at the Public Defender's Office. A copy of any mandate that justifies the detention of the petitioner must be attached to the affidavit and the original mandate produced at the hearing. Before issuing a writ of habeas corpus the judge shall notify the Wayne. Title, Name, Subject Matter, Procedural Posture, Last Updated. Law § 570.16 (McKinney 2009), which required proof that petitioner either committed a crime in the demanding state or did acts in New York which would.