A Writ of Habeas Corpus is a civil proceeding that is available in both State and Federal Court to challenge the legality of imprisonment. Habeas Corpus, in the Federal Court, is a petition that claims that you are being detained against your US constitutional rights.These are the official forms for use in Family Court proceedings. A writ of habeas corpus stands as a vital legal tool, essential for safeguarding individual rights and averting arbitrary detention. The "Great Writ" of habeas corpus is a fundamental right in the Constitution that protects against unlawful and indefinite imprisonment. The term "habeas corpus," means "you shall have the body" in Latin. An application for a writ of habeas corpus may only be filed after a final conviction. The law in the area is an intricate weave of statute and case law.