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. In United States law, habeas corpus is a recourse challenging the reasons or conditions of a person's confinement under color of law. The "Great Writ" of habeas corpus is a fundamental right in the Constitution that protects against unlawful and indefinite imprisonment. Habeas corpus is a centuriesold legal procedure that protects against unlawful and indefinite imprisonment. The U.S. Supreme Court interprets the Constitution, which means it defines constitutional rights and violations in the cases it decides. A Habeas Corpus Writ is filed with a federal court once the defendant's state appellate remedies have been exhausted. During just about any conversation with a civil liberties advocate or constitutional lawyer, the concept of habeas corpus will likely come up.