Habeas corpus is a Latin phrase meaning "produce the body. Habeas corpus, or the Great Writ, is the legal procedure that keeps the government from holding you indefinitely without showing cause.Federal habeas corpus is a procedure under which a federal court may review the legality of an individual's incarceration. What we are talking about, of course, is habeas corpus, a Latin phrase meaning "you should have the body. During just about any conversation with a civil liberties advocate or constitutional lawyer, the concept of habeas corpus will likely come up. ❖ Read this only if you need to file in a county in Washington State besides. King, Spokane, Clark, Cowlitz, Chelan, Klickitat, Pend Oreille, or. What is Habeas Corpus? A Habeas Corpus Writ is filed with a federal court once the defendant's state appellate remedies have been exhausted.