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. Latin, meaning "you have the body.Except in matters of emergency, the following procedures are followed in proceedings for a writ of habeas corpus: (a) Petitioner with funds. What is a Writ of Habeas Corpus? Habeas corpus ad subjiciendum is a legal term that means "that you have the body to submit to". It is also known as the "Great Writ". Safeguarding Both Public Health and Safety and Personal Liberty Through the "Great and Celebrated" Writ of Habeas Corpus The purpose of a Writ of Habeas Corpus is for the court to determine whether it has lawfully convicted and sentenced a person. Latin for "that you have the body. Tw6 months later Cook filed a similar petition in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana.