Brazil's President Michel Temer smiles during a meeting with representatives of the Brazilian Chamber of Construction Industry and businessmen, at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, May 25, 2017. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Scandal-plagued Brazilian President Michel Temer on Sunday named a new justice minister, placing a respected legal figure in the position as the leader defends himself against corruption allegations.

The presidential palace gave no reason for naming Torquato Jardim as his new justice minister in a short written statement.

Since March, Jardim was the nation’s transparency minister. Before that, he had served as a justice on Brazil’s top electoral court.

Jardim replaced Osmar Serraglio, a lawmaker from Temer’s own party, who had been in that post for just three months. A source close to Temer told Reuters that Serraglio will soon be announced as the new transparency minister.