Instructions and Form for Filing a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus Under 28 USC § 2254. MD Rules, Rule 15-303.In medieval times, habeas corpus from the literal Latin "show me the body" was the expression used to bring a prisoner to court. Money damages ARE NOT available in a habeas corpus action. • You must sign the petition. Habeas Corpus (Trans: you have the body) -- A writ which brings a person before a court. Federal habeas corpus is a procedure under which a federal court may review the legality of an individual's incarceration. The U.S. Supreme Court interprets the Constitution, which means it defines constitutional rights and violations in the cases it decides. It's a fail-safe to prevent the government from imprisoning people without cause. Habeas corpus originated in Medieval English common law.