
White Lies: The Pen
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How Do You File a Habeas Corpus Petition?
A habeas corpus petition is a legal procedure that allows someone being detained to force the state to justify their detention. It was officially enacted into English law in the 17th century, and then written into Article 1 of the US Constitution 100 years later. Janaro Sorella Gonzalez had been detained at the federal penitentiary in Atlanta for 306 days because he lacked entry papers. "We could not get a better first plaintiff than him," says Abel.
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