habeas corpus

Habeas corpus is a legal procedure invoking the jurisdiction of a court to determine whether a detention or imprisonment is lawful. The right to petition for a writ of habeas corpus has long been celebrated as a fundamental safeguard of individual liberty.

Overview

Habeas corpus is a legal procedure invoking the jurisdiction of a court to review the unlawful detention or imprisonment of an individual, and request the individual's custodian to bring the prisoner to court, to determine whether their detention is lawful. The right to petition for a writ of habeas corpus has long been celebrated as a fundamental safeguard of individual liberty.

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).