This form is a Petition For Writ Of Habeas Corpus By Person In State Custody based on Lack of Voluntariness of confession and Ineffective Assistance of Counsel. Adapt to your specific circumstances. Don't reinvent the wheel, save time and money.
Habeas Corpus Act Of 1640 In Kings
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Multi-State
County:
Kings
Control #:
US-000277
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FAQ
The right of habeas corpus essentially protects a prisoner's right to indicate whether or not their constitutionally guaranteed rights to fair treatment during a trial have been infringed upon. This concept originated in the 1200s as part of the Magna Carta, which stated, “No man shall be arrested or imprisoned…
The Habeus Corpus Act of 1679 limited the power of the monarch to arbitrarily arrest a person. Arrests and imprisonment instead had to be approved by a judge.
The "Great Writ" of habeas corpus is a fundamental right in the Constitution that protects against unlawful and indefinite imprisonment. Translated from Latin it means "show me the body." Habeas corpus has historically been an important instrument to safeguard individual freedom against arbitrary executive power.
Before the Magna Carta (1215) a variety of writs performed some of the functions of habeas corpus. During the Middle Ages habeas corpus was employed to bring cases from inferior tribunals into the king's courts.
Habeas corpus is a Latin phrase meaning “produce the body.” By means of the writ of habeas corpus a court may order the state to “produce the body,” or hand over a prisoner so that it might review the legality of the prisoner's detention.
Without the writ of habeas corpus, people would be at risk of being detained indefinitely without good reason or at least the right to have a fair hearing. The writ of habeas corpus assures the accused of asking for a hearing to determine the validity of their detainment.
It was passed by what became known as the Habeas Corpus Parliament to define and strengthen the ancient prerogative writ of habeas corpus, which required a court to examine the lawfulness of a prisoner's detention and thus prevent unlawful or arbitrary imprisonment.
During Reconstruction, Congress sought to protect Union sympathizers and freedmen whose rights were threatened in the South. The Habeas Corpus Act of 1867 expanded the authority of federal courts to issue writs of habeas corpus for state prisoners.
The habeas petition must be in writing and signed and verified either by the petitioner seeking relief or by someone acting on his or her behalf. The petition must name the custodian as the respondent and state the facts concerning the applicant's custody and include the legal basis for the request.
For example, if an individual was convicted on the basis that their skin color matched that of the perpetrator ing to eyewitnesses, but there is no other evidence against them, then the individual can appeal for habeas corpus in order to be freed from imprisonment.