There is an official form (Judicial Council Form HC-001) for filing a state petition for writ of habeas corpus. This petition must be clearly handwritten in ink or typed.You should exercise care to make sure all answers are true and correct. This following portions of this manual contain a step-by-step guide to California state habeas corpus process, including court forms and sample court pleadings. • "'It has long been the rule of California that factual allegations on which a petition for habeas corpus are based must be "in such form. Generally, an individual seeking to challenge his or her criminal conviction through a habeas petition must do so in a "timely fashion. The § 2254 allows us to bring U.S. Constitutional Issues into a Federal Court (U. The first step in filing a federal habeas corpus petition is ensuring it is timely and correctly submitted.