Habeas Corpus Act

The Habeas Corpus Act was an English statute enacted in 1679 during the reign of King Charles II. It was subsequently amended and supple-mented by enactments of Parliament that permitted, in certain cases, a person to challenge the legality of his or her imprisonment before a court that ordered the person to appear before it at a designated time so that it could render its decision. The Habeas Corpus Act served as the precursor of HABEAS CORPUS provisions found in U.S. federal and state constitutions and statutes that safeguard the guarantee of personal liberty.