Habeas corpus—also known as the Great Writ—is the legal procedure that prevents the federal government from arresting and holding (in prison) a person indefinitely without showing cause for detaining the person. This Latin term is pronounced "Hay-bee-us Corp-us."

A person detained by the federal government may challenge their detention by filing a habeas corpus petition—which then requires the government to explain to a neutral judge the justification for detaining the person. A habeas petition is prosecuted or litigated as a civil (noncriminal) matter against the government agent (usually the prison warden) who holds the defendant in custody.

The Founders of the United States who wrote the U.S. Constitution believed so strongly in this protection against government overreach they included it in the first article of the Constitution (Article I, Section 9, Clause 2).

In Arkansas, as in all states, habeas corpus is a fundamental legal procedure protected by both federal and state law. It serves as a safeguard against unlawful detention by the government. Under the U.S. Constitution, specifically Article I, Section 9, Clause 2, habeas corpus rights are enshrined, ensuring that the federal government cannot hold individuals indefinitely without just cause. If a person is detained by the federal government in Arkansas, they have the right to file a habeas corpus petition. This petition compels the government to present a valid reason for the individual's detention before a neutral judge. The process is civil in nature and is typically filed against the government official responsible for the detention, often the prison warden. The right to habeas corpus is a critical check on governmental power and is designed to prevent arbitrary imprisonment.