Habeas Corpus Act 1679
How Writs to be marked. Persons committed, except for Treason and Felony, &c. may appeal to the Lord Chancellor, &c. Proceedings thereon. Habeas Corpus may be awarded; and upon Service thereof the Officer to bring up the Prisoners as before mentioned; and thereupon within Two Days Lord Chancellor, &c. may discharge upon Recognizance; and certify the Writ with the Return and Recognizance. Proviso for Process not bailable.
- Jurisdiction
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Provision
- II
- Source language
- English
- Recorded status
- in force
More details
- Recorded status
- in force
Provision text
Official sourceAnd to the intent that noe Sheriffe Goaler or other Officer may pretend ignorance of the import of any such Writt all such Writts shall be marked in this manner Per Statutum Tricesimo primo Caroli Secundi Regis and shall be signed by the person that awards the same And if any person or persons shall be or stand committed or detained as aforesaid for any Crime unlesse for Treason . . . plainely expressed in the Warrant of Committment in the Vacation time and out of Terme it shall and may be lawfull to and for the person or persons soe committed or detained (other then persons Convict or in Execution) by legall Processe or any one in his or their behalfe to appeale or complaine to ... any one of His Majestyes Justices either of the one Bench or of the other or the Barons of the Exchequer of the Degree of the Coife and the said ... Justices or Barons or any of them upon view of the Copy or Copies of the Warrant or Warrants of Committment and Detainer or otherwise upon Oath made that such Copy or Copyes were denyed to be given by such person or persons in whose Custody the Prisoner or Prisoners is or are detained are hereby authorized and required upon Request made in Writeing by such person or persons or any on his her or their behalfe attested and subscribed by two Witnesses that were present at the delivery of the same to award and grant an Habeas Corpus under the Seale of such Court whereof he shall then be one of the Judges to be directed to the Officer or Officers in whose Custodie the Party soe committed or detained shall be returnable immediate before ... such Justice Baron or any other Justice or Baron of the Degree of the Coife of any of the said Courts and upon Service thereof as aforesaid the Officer or Officers his or their Under-Officer or Under Officers Under Keeper or Under Keepers or their Deputy in whose custodie the Partie is soe committed or detained shall within the times respectively before limitted bring such Prisoner or Prisoners before ... such Justices Barons or one of them before whome the said Writt is made returnable and in case of his absence before any other of them with the Returne of such Writt and the true Causes of the Committment and Detainer and thereupon within two dayes after the Partie shall be brought before them the said Lord Chauncellor or Lord Keeper or such Justice or Baron before whome the Prisoner shall be brought as aforesaid shall , subject to section 25 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, grant bail in accordance with the Bail Act 1976 to the said prisoner subject to a duty to appear before the Crown Court and then shall certifie the said Writt with the Returne thereof together with the recognizance of any surety for him into the said Court where such Appearance is to be made unlesse it shall appeare unto the said ... Justice or Justices or Baron or Barons that the Party soe committed is detained upon a legall Processe Order or Warrant out of some Court that hath Jurisdiction of Criminall Matters or by some Warrant signed and sealed with the Hand and Seale of any of the said Justices or Barons or some Justice or Justices of the Peace for such Matters or Offences for the which by the Law the Prisoner is not Baileable.
Source record
Source and verification
Habeas Corpus Act 1679 · legislation.gov.uk · Retrieved 17 August 2026.
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