Local Rule 303 Procedure. The procedure for issuance of a writ of habeas corpus shall be as follows: (1).The purpose of this manual is to aid you, proceeding pro se, in preparing pleadings to file with the Supreme Court. The Process of Filing A Habeas Corpus Petition​​ The first is that you must file your petition within one year of exhausting your direct appeal. To use this form, you must be a person who is currently serving a sentence under a judgment against you in a state court. Who Is Entitled to File a Federal Writ of Habeas Corpus? Prisoners to be bailable; habeas corpus. 15. Special criminal tribunals.