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.
The day of The Times’ article publication, the public defenders office helped the family file a habeas corpus petition on behalf of Wilber.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
Put simply, a habeas corpus petition is a written request from an inmate to a court challenging the lawfulness of their government detention.
From Slate ● Jul. 6, 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
Because Congress and the Supreme Court have severely limited prisoners’ access to federal habeas corpus relief over the past several decades.
From Slate ● May 29, 2026
“Get a writ of habeas corpus for each orphan,” David went on, more thinking out loud than instructing Louis, who clearly already knew exactly what to do.
From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
