habeas corpus
Americannoun
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habeas corpuses,
plural
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habeas corpora
plural
noun
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
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
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Miri said he filed a habeas corpus petition on June 19, a legal action that challenges the lawfulness of a person’s detention, but declined to be interviewed on the case.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026
A habeas corpus hearing is scheduled for Wednesday in San Antonio.
From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026
California’s district judges were overrun with emergency petitions for writs of habeas corpus, a legal maneuver rarely used outside death row appeals.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
At the time, the departures left the office understaffed amid a glut of habeas corpus petition cases from federal immigration detainees challenging their arrests during the surge.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026
The Court decided to bar claims from federal habeas corpus review if they weren't initially presented to state courts.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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