A writ of habeas corpus is a limited remedy in New York compared to other states and the federal statute authorizing the writ. The first is that you must file your petition within one year of exhausting your direct appeal.To get a writ of habeas corpus, you must file a petition for a civil (not criminal) proceeding in either state or federal court. Where do I file a post-judgment motion? How do I file a Writ of Habeas Corpus? A Writ of Habeas Corpus is a civil proceeding that is available in both State and Federal Court to challenge the legality of imprisonment. Any federal court may grant a writ of habeas corpus to a petitioner who is within its jurisdiction. 3. Other ways of attacking your conviction include filing an appeal, or a state or federal writ of habeas corpus. Therefore, Purdy had until April 24, 1997, to file a federal habeas petition. Intheblanks form authorizing a filing agent to efile documents on behalf of an individual attorney.