habeas corpus

American  

[hey-bee-uhs kawr-puhs] / ˈheɪ bi əs ˈkɔr pəs /

noun

Law.

habeas corpuses, plural habeas corpora plural

1. a writ requiring a person to be brought before a judge or court, especially for investigation of a restraint of the person's liberty, used as a protection against illegal imprisonment.

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habeas corpus British  

/ ˈheɪbɪəs ˈkɔːpəs /

noun

1. law a writ ordering a person to be brought before a court or judge, esp so that the court may ascertain whether his detention is lawful

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habeas corpus Cultural  

1. A legal term meaning that an accused person must be presented physically before the court with a statement demonstrating sufficient cause for arrest. Thus, no accuser may imprison someone indefinitely without bringing that person and the charges against him or her into a courtroom. In Latin, habeas corpus literally means “you shall have the body.”

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Usage

What is habeas corpus? The writ of habeas corpus, often shortened to habeas corpus, is the requirement that an arrested person be brought before a judge or court before being detained or imprisoned.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• habeas corpora
  plural
• habeas corpuses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of habeas corpus

< Latin: literally, have the body (first words of writ), equivalent to habeās 2nd-person singular present subjunctive (with imperative force) of habēre to have + corpus body

Related Words

• action
• arraignment
• case
• contest
• hearing
• impeachment
• indictment
• lawsuit
• litigation
• prosecution
• suit
• tribunal