RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil's Senate has begun a process that is likely to confirm a politician and law scholar for the country's highest court.

A commission is considering the nomination of Alexandre de Moraes, who had been justice minister for embattled President Michel Temer, who is implicated in corruption charges facing the court.

If the commission approves on Tuesday, Moraes' nomination will go to the full Senate, where Temer's allies have a majority.

Critics accuse Moraes of plagiarism in his best-selling textbooks and of hiding his wife's businesses. He denies both claims.

Moraes would replace Justice Teori Zavascki, who died in a plane crash in January.

Zavascki had been overseeing cases involving top politicians in the sprawling corruption probe at state-run oil giant Petrobras.