The court must rule on a petition for writ of habeas corpus within 60 days after the petition is filed. (B) If the court fails to rule on the petition within 60 days of its filing, the petitioner may file a notice and request for ruling.
The primary function of the Writ of Habeas Corpus is to provide a swift remedy for any person deprived of liberty without lawful justification. It commands that the body of the detained individual be presented to the court to evaluate the legality of the detention.
(a) A person unlawfully imprisoned or restrained of their liberty, under any pretense, may prosecute a writ of habeas corpus to inquire into the cause of the imprisonment or restraint.
A writ of habeas corpus is used to bring a prisoner or other detainee (e.g. institutionalized mental patient) before the court to determine if the person's imprisonment or detention is lawful. A habeas petition proceeds as a civil action against the State agent (usually a warden) who holds the defendant in custody.
The writ of habeas corpus is the great remedy of the citizen or subject against arbitrary or illegal imprisonment; it is the mode by which the judicial power speedily and effectually protects the personal liberty of every individual, and repels the injustice of unconstitutional laws and despotic governments.
A Federal Writ of Habeas Corpus is a procedure where federal courts with national power can review the legality of an individual's incarceration.
Article I, Section 9, Clause 2: The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.
Habeas corpus ad subjiciendum means “that you have the body to submit to” in Latin. It is also known as the “Great Writ” and is a writ that is directed to someone detaining another person to inquire as to the legality of the detention.
Typical examples where a court has granted a habeas corpus petition include claims of new evidence discovered in the case, ineffective assistance of counsel, prosecutorial misconduct, incompetence to stand trial, and challenging conditions of confinement.
Today, habeas corpus is mainly used as a post-conviction remedy for state or federal prisoners who challenge the legality of the application of federal laws that were used in the judicial proceedings that resulted in their detention.