Title 15 — Title 15

Any person who is imprisoned or restrained of his liberty in the State of Alabama on any criminal charge or accusation or under any other pretense whatever, except persons committed or detained by virtue of process issued by a court of the United States or by a judge thereof in c…

Presumed Addressed to Recipient. A writ of habeas corpus must not be disobeyed on account of any want of form or any misdescription of the person to whom it is addressed, and it must be presumed to have been addressed to the person on whom it is served, notwithstanding any mistak…

If it appears from the petition for a writ of habeas corpus or from the documents thereunto annexed that the party is imprisoned or detained by virtue of any process under which any other person has an interest in continuing his imprisonment or restraint, the officer issuing the …

Criminal Charge; Bail Without Notice. If it appears from the petition for a writ of habeas corpus or from the documents thereunto annexed that the party is imprisoned and detained on any criminal charge or accusation, the officer issuing the writ must endorse thereon an order req…

(a) At the time of issuing a writ of habeas corpus or at any time afterward before the hearing, the officer issuing the writ must, on a proper showing, issue a precept directed to any sheriff or constable of the state, commanding him to have the body of the person who is imprison…

(a) On the application of either party, subpoenas for witnesses must be issued at any time before the hearing on a writ of habeas corpus by the clerk of the circuit court of the county to which the writ is returnable. (b) Such subpoenas must be directed to the sheriff or any cons…

A writ of habeas corpus must be served by the sheriff, deputy sheriff or some constable of the county in which it is issued or in which the person on whose behalf it issued out is imprisoned or detained, by delivering a copy to the person to whom it is directed and showing the or…

(a) After due service thereof, the person to whom a writ of habeas corpus is directed must make his return on the day therein specified if practicable; and, if no day is specified therein and the place to which the return is to be made is not more than 30 miles from the place whe…

Return; Exception. At the time of making the return, one must also produce the person on whose behalf the writ of habeas corpus was sued out, according to the command of the writ, and the original warrant, writ or other written authority under which he was detained; but, if from …

Infirmity. When the party on whose behalf a writ of habeas corpus is sued out is not produced on account of sickness or infirmity, the court or judge before whom the writ is returnable may proceed to decide on the return as if the party had been produced if satisfied of such sick…

Enter into Undertaking to Keep the Peace. Any person confined in jail for failing to enter into an undertaking to keep the peace may prosecute a writ of habeas corpus as provided in this chapter; but such writ can be heard only by a judge of the circuit court, who may discharge t…

Disposition of Detainee on Adjournment of Examination; Forfeiture of Bail. (a) The party on whose behalf a writ of habeas corpus is sued out may deny any of the facts stated in the return and allege any other facts which may be material in the case. (b) In a summary way, the cour…

Upon a hearing on a writ of habeas corpus, if no legal cause for the imprisonment or restraint of a party is shown, he must be discharged; but, if it appears that he is held or detained in custody by virtue of process issued by a court or judge of the United States in a case of w…

Sufficient Bail Not Offered; Transmission of Bail to Clerk of Court; Forfeiture of Bail. (a) Upon a hearing on a writ of habeas corpus, if it appears that the detained party is charged with a public offense which is bailable, he must be admitted to bail on offering sufficient bai…

On the return of a writ of habeas corpus, no court or judge has authority to inquire into the regularity or justice of any order, judgment, decree or process of any court legally constituted, nor into the justice or propriety of any commitment for contempt made by a court, office…

Issued. If it appears that the party is in custody by virtue of process from any court legally constituted or issued by any officer in the course of judicial proceedings before him authorized by law, he can only be discharged under a writ of habeas corpus where: (1) The jurisdict…

When Commitment Irregular. In habeas corpus proceedings, if it appears that the party has been legally committed for any public offense or that he is guilty of such an offense, although his commitment was irregular, he may be remanded to the custody or restraint from which he was…

When a person has once been discharged on habeas corpus, he cannot be again imprisoned, restrained or kept in custody for the same cause, unless he is indicted therefor or, after a discharge for defect of proof, is again arrested on sufficient proof and committed by legal process…

Action for Damages. Any officer or other person who has the custody of a party produced on habeas corpus and who detains him after an order of the court or judge for his discharge or enlargement or afterwards arrests him without a legal and proper cause, warrant or other process …

Etc. Any officer who refuses or neglects to deliver a true copy of the order, writ, warrant or process by virtue of which he detains any prisoner, either to the prisoner himself or to any other person who applies for the same on his behalf, for six hours after demand is made, for…

Any person confined as insane may prosecute a writ of habeas corpus as provided in this chapter; and, if the judge or the jury, when the petitioner demands the issues arising to be tried by a jury, shall decide at the hearing that the person is insane, such decision does not bar …

(a) It is the duty of the officer before whom a writ of habeas corpus is returnable, in case of such refusal or neglect on the part of the person to whom it is directed, to proceed forthwith against him by process of attachment, as for contempt, to compel obedience to the writ an…

of Writ. Any person who has in his custody or under his control a person who is entitled to a writ of habeas corpus and, either before or after the issue of such writ with intent to elude the service or effect thereof, transfers such person to the custody of another, places him u…

If any witness duly subpoenaed under the provisions of this chapter fails to attend as required, the judge before whom the writ of habeas corpus is returnable must endorse such failure on the back of the subpoena and deliver it to the clerk of the circuit court of the county in w…

(a) In habeas corpus proceedings, witnesses may prove their attendance before the judge as in other cases and have the same taxed in the bill of costs, on the subsequent conviction of the party, where he is detained on a criminal charge. (b) In other cases, the court or judge may…

(a) When the person on whose behalf a writ of habeas corpus is sued out is charged with a public offense, the officer or person having charge of him may summon a sufficient guard to aid in conveying him before the court or judge before whom the writ is returnable and conveying hi…

Application for a writ of habeas corpus must be made by petition, signed either by the party himself for whose benefit it is intended or by some other person on his behalf, must be verified by the oath of the applicant to the effect that the statements therein contained are true …

If the name of the person on whose behalf an application for a writ of habeas corpus is made or the officer or person by whom he is imprisoned or detained is uncertain or unknown, he may be described in any way that is sufficient to identify him. History: (Code 1852, §712; Code 1…

(a) When the person is confined in a county jail or any other place on a charge of felony or under a commitment or an indictment for felony, the petition for a writ of habeas corpus must be addressed to the nearest circuit court judge. (b) When the person is confined in the penit…

Required; Ouster of Jurisdiction of Nearest Judge. (a) When the petition for a writ of habeas corpus is required to be addressed to the nearest circuit court judge and such judge is absent, is incapable of acting, has refused to grant the writ, has refused to grant the writ retur…

(a) The judge to whom the application for a writ of habeas corpus is made must grant the same without delay, unless it appears from the petition itself or from the documents thereunto annexed that the person imprisoned or restrained is not entitled to the benefit of the writ unde…

A writ of habeas corpus may be, in substance, as follows: The State of Alabama,) _________ County.) To the sheriff of _______ County (or other person by whom the party is imprisoned or restrained): You are hereby commanded to have the body of A. B. alleged to be detained by you, …