What writ brings a prisoner before the court for release from unlawful imprisonment?

• A. Writ of Certiorari
• B. Habeas Corpus
• C. Mandamus
• D. Prohibition

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that habeas corpus is the remedy used to challenge the lawfulness of a person's detention and secure release if the confinement is unlawful. It requires the custodian to bring the prisoner before the court so the judge can determine whether the detention has a legal basis; if not, the prisoner must be released. Writs like certiorari are about reviewing a lower court’s decision, not freeing someone held unlawfully. Mandamus directs a public official to perform a duty, not specifically to test detention or release a prisoner. Prohibition prevents a court from acting beyond its authority, which again isn’t about challenging the legality of imprisonment. In practice, habeas corpus is the mechanism that ensures liberty by directly addressing the legality of confinement.