The Writ of Habeas Corpus: The Right to Have Your Day in Court

One of our most fundamental rights as U.S citizens is the writ of habeas corpus, which states that authorities must explain why an individual has been placed under arrest. If a judge does not see the justification in the reasoning, that individual must be released. Considered the right that gives every citizen access to all his or her other rights, the importance of the writ of habeas corpus cannot be overstated. It is so significant, that the Founding Fathers wrote it into the main body of the U.S. Constitution before they added the Bill of Rights. This engaging narrative includes a history of England’s Magna Carta and describes the writ in action today.