habeas corpus
[ hey-bee-uh s kawr-puh s ]
/ ˈheɪ bi əs ˈkɔr pəs /
noun Law.
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.
Origin of habeas corpus
< Latin: literally, have the body (first words of writ), equivalent to
habeās 2nd singular present subjunctive (with imperative force) of
habēre to have +
corpus body
Words nearby habeas corpus
habakkuk,
habana,
habanera,
habanero,
habdalah,
habeas corpus,
habena,
habenula,
haber,
haber process,
haberdasher
Example sentences from the Web for habeas corpus
British Dictionary definitions for habeas corpus
habeas corpus
/ (ˈheɪbɪəs ˈkɔːpəs) /
noun
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
Word Origin for habeas corpus
C15: from the opening of the Latin writ, literally: you may have the body
Cultural definitions for habeas corpus
habeas corpus
[ (hay-bee-uhs kawr-puhs) ]
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.”