So, a writ of habeas corpus is a court order to bring a person who's been detained to court to determine whether or not their detention is valid. Latin, meaning "you have the body.What we are talking about, of course, is habeas corpus, a Latin phrase meaning "you should have the body. Federal habeas corpus is a procedure under which a federal court may review the legality of an individual's incarceration. Habeas corpus is a legal action in which a prisoner challenges the authority of the jail or prison to continue holding him. 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. 2019); 1 BOUVIER'S LAW DICTIONARY, (11th ed. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it. The U.S. Supreme Court interprets the Constitution, which means it defines constitutional rights and violations in the cases it decides. During just about any conversation with a civil liberties advocate or constitutional lawyer, the concept of habeas corpus will likely come up.