noun

habeas corpus

/həˈbeɪ.əs ˈkɔɹ.pəs/ · say it: huh·BAY·us·KOR·pus

a court order protecting against unlawful detention

In more detail

(noun, law) a legal right that protects a person from being held in prison without a fair trial or legal reason; a court order demanding that a prisoner be brought to court so a judge can decide if their imprisonment is lawful

Examples

The lawyer filed a habeas corpus petition to challenge her client's illegal detention.
Habeas corpus is considered a fundamental right in democratic legal systems.

How to use habeas corpus

Habeas corpus is a formal legal term referring to both a fundamental right and the specific court order that protects it. It is used in legal and governmental contexts to denote the right to challenge unlawful imprisonment and compel authorities to justify detention before a court. The term is most common in formal legal writing and political discourse, particularly when discussing civil liberties or emergency powers.

Common phrases

habeas corpus petition
file for habeas corpus
habeas corpus writ
suspend habeas corpus
grant habeas corpus

Synonyms

unlawful detention relief · right to trial · judicial review of detention

Word family

habeas corpus (noun)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes treat habeas corpus as a simple synonym for "trial" or "freedom," but it specifically refers to a procedural right to legal review of detention rather than a guarantee of innocence or release.

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