Ex parte Burtis was a United States Supreme Court case that established the principle of federal habeas corpus. The petitioner, John Burtis, had been convicted in a state court and sentenced to death for murder. He filed an application with the US District Court for writs of habeas corpus and prohibition against his conviction on the grounds that he had not received due process under state law. The district court denied his petition but granted him leave to appeal directly to the Supreme Court. In its ruling, the Supreme Court held that federal courts have jurisdiction over applications for writs of habeas corpus when they involve questions concerning constitutional rights or other matters arising from federal laws or treaties. Furthermore, it ruled that such petitions should be heard by both state and federal courts if necessary in order to ensure justice is served fairly and equally across all jurisdictions within America's legal system. This decision set forth important principles regarding how criminal cases are handled at both levels of government which remain relevant today as our nation continues striving towards equal protection under law regardless of one's race or social status

In Ex Parte Burtis, the Supreme Court was asked to determine whether a writ of habeas corpus should be granted in order for an individual to be released from prison. The majority opinion held that the writ should not be issued because it would interfere with state proceedings and violate principles of comity between states. Justice Field dissented, arguing that the writ should have been issued as there were no pending state proceedings against the petitioner at issue and therefore no interference with such proceedings could occur. He further argued that denying relief on this basis violated both due process and equal protection under law since other individuals similarly situated had received similar relief in prior cases without any interference with state proceedings. Ultimately, Justice Field concluded that refusing to grant a writ of habeas corpus when there are no pending state criminal charges violates fundamental rights protected by both federal and state constitutions.