—Preliminary Consideration

(a) The judicial authority shall promptly review any petition for a writ of habeas corpus to deter- mine whether the writ should issue. The judicial authority shall issue the writ if it appears that: (1) the court has jurisdiction; (2) the petition is meritorious; and (3) another proceeding is not more appropriate. (b) The judicial authority shall notify the peti- tioner if it declines to issue the writ pursuant to this section. (P.B. 1998.)