Every person restrained of his or her liberty under any pretense whatever, may prosecute a writ of habeas corpus to inquire into the cause of the restraint. In United States law, habeas corpus is a recourse challenging the reasons or conditions of a person's confinement under color of law.Habeas corpus is a Latin phrase meaning "produce the body. Translated from Latin it means "show me the body. Habeas corpus is an extraordinary remedy used to bring a confined person before a court to ensure that the person's detention is not illegal. Federal habeas corpus is a procedure under which a federal court may review the legality of an individual's incarceration. The writ may also be employed in a wide variety of situations not involving criminal proceedings. The U.S. Supreme Court interprets the Constitution, which means it defines constitutional rights and violations in the cases it decides. ❖ Read this only if you need to file in a county in Washington State besides. King, Spokane, Clark, Cowlitz, Chelan, Klickitat, Pend Oreille, or.