Illinois Motion Under 28 U.S.C. 2255 to Vacate, Set Aside, or Correct Sentence by a Person in Federal Custody (commonly referred to as a "2255 Motion") is a legal mechanism available to federal prisoners who believe their sentence is illegal, or otherwise unconstitutional. The 2255 Motion allows federal prisoners to directly challenge their sentence in the court that sentenced them. The 2255 Motion is available to federal prisoners who are currently in federal custody and have been sentenced pursuant to a judgment of a United States district court. This motion must be filed in the district court where the convict was convicted and sentenced. The three types of relief available to inmates under the 2255 Motion are: 1. Vacating the sentence: This means the court will declare the conviction and sentence void. 2. Setting aside the sentence: This means the court will order a new trial. 3. Correcting the sentence: This means the court will reduce the sentence to a lesser sentence. In order to succeed on a 2255 Motion, federal prisoners must prove that their sentence is unconstitutional, illegal, or otherwise invalid. In some cases, the convict may be able to challenge the constitutionality of the underlying conviction itself.