First, a U.S.C. § 2254 allows us to file a petition for Habeas Corpus when the client is in custody under sentence of a state court and is in a state prison. Exhibit 1 to this Petition describes names Petitioners and describes their bond status along with some relevant particulars. 9.The first step in obtaining the writ is to file a petition with the court. I. Procedural Default Under § 440.10. We review de novo the District Court's denial of Fulton's § 2254 petition for a writ of habeas corpus. Petitioner Billy J. Fulton filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus seeking to vacate his 2009 convictions for violating the Sex Offender Registration Act. Standards, what is prohibited and what is not in each particular case. Involved in a criminal case or a habeas proceeding for an indigent defendant.