Habeas Corpus is a Latin word meaning which literally means 'to have the body of'. It is an order issued by the court to a person who has detained another person, to produce the body of the latter before it.
A Writ of Habeas Corpus is usually filed by submitting a Petition, a Memorandum of Points and Authorities, a Declaration from the defendant, and other evidence which supports the Writ of Habeas Corpus. The Memorandum of Points of Authorities is a legal memorandum, which contains the legal arguments of the defendant.
Under the Florida and United States Constitutions, you have the right to file a writ of habeas corpus if you are being locked up in a federal or state correctional facility. This type of writ in state or federal court. When you file your petition, you are asking the judge to decide whether your imprisonment is lawful.
The term "habeas corpus" is Latin for "you should have the body." It is a legal mechanism that enables prisoners and detainees to challenge the conditions of their conviction, sentencing, or detainment—effectively stating that they have been wrongfully imprisoned or detained.
When you file a petition for a writ of habeas corpus, you are asking a judge for a hearing to determine whether your imprisonment is lawful. This hearing is not another trial. Instead of deciding whether you were guilty or not, the judge will evaluate the fairness of the procedure used to convict and sentence you.
After the Writ of Habeas Corpus is filed, the Court has a few options. The Court may deny the Writ, the Court may request that the government submit a response to the Writ, or the Court may grant the Writ.
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.
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.