Habeas corpus is a legal rule that requires a prisoner be presented in court and that the arrester prove that there is proper cause for detaining the prisoner. The Writ of Habeas Corpus demands that requires a prisoner must go before the court to determine if there is lawful authority to detain the prisoner.The meaning of WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS is habeas corpus. Federal habeas corpus is a procedure under which a federal court may review the legality of an individual's incarceration. The writ of habeas corpus is a legal order requiring a person holding another person to produce that individual before a court or judge. Habeas corpus is a legal action in which a prisoner challenges the authority of the jail or prison to continue holding him. 2019); 1 BOUVIER'S LAW DICTIONARY, (11th ed. The writ may also be employed in a wide variety of situations not involving criminal proceedings. Examples of writ of habeas corpus in a Sentence. Recent Examples on the Web.