writ of habeas corpus

noun phrase

Examples of writ of habeas corpus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web On this day in 1861, President Abraham Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus between Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., to assist the military in controlling unrest and rebellion during the early days of the Civil War. The Arizona Republic, 26 Apr. 2024 Repeatedly, Elkins illustrates, martial law and other emergency measures allowed for the suspension of fundamental protections, such as the writ of habeas corpus, for imperial subjects. Lauren Benton, Foreign Affairs, 21 June 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'writ of habeas corpus.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1762, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of writ of habeas corpus was in 1762

Dictionary Entries Near writ of habeas corpus

Cite this Entry

“Writ of habeas corpus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/writ%20of%20habeas%20corpus. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.

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