José Linhares

His Excellency José Linhares
15th President of Brazil
Acting 29 October 1945 – 29 January 1946
Vice President	None
Preceded by	Getúlio Vargas
Succeeded by	Eurico Dutra
Further offices held President of the Supreme Federal Court In office 2 May 1951 – 29 January 1956 Vice President Orozimbo Nonato Preceded by Laudo de Camargo Succeeded by Orozimbo Nonato In office 26 May 1945 – 31 January 1949 Vice President Castro Nunes Preceded by Eduardo Espínola Succeeded by Laudo de Camargo Justice of the Supreme Federal Court In office 24 December 1937 – 29 January 1956 Appointed by Getúlio Vargas Preceded by Ataulfo de Paiva Succeeded by Ary Franco
Personal details
Born	(1886-01-28)28 January 1886 Baturité, Ceará, Empire of Brazil
Died	26 January 1957(1957-01-26) (aged 70) Caxambu, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Political party	Independent
Spouse	Luísa Linhares
Signature

José Linhares (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʒuˈzɛ ʎĩˈɲaɾis]; 28 January 1886 – 26 January 1957) was a Brazilian lawyer who briefly served as the interim president of Brazil in the final months of the Estado Novo. As President of the Supreme Federal Court, he was called by the Armed Forces to take over the Presidency following the ousting of Getúlio Vargas in 1945, to the inauguration of Eurico Gaspar Dutra, in 1946, which marked the beginning of what is known today as the Fourth Brazilian Republic.

Linhares was appointed Minister of the Supreme Federal Court in 1937, following the retirement of Ataúlfo Nápoles de Paiva, and served until his own retirement in 1956. He was twice President of the Supreme Federal Court, from 1945 to 1949, and from 1954 to 1956.

Linhares devoted himself mainly to prepare the return to democratic order, replacing the stakeholders in the states by judiciary members, giving the new parliament constitution-making powers, extinguishing the Court of National Security, abolishing the state of emergency, provided in the 1937 Constitution, among other measures. In the economic and administrative field, acted against inflation, revoked the antitrust law, one of the factors that led to the deposition of Vargas, and extinguished the Council of People's Economy. Granted autonomy to the University of Brazil and regulated various departments of the Ministry of Transportation and Public Works. In December 1945 elections were held for the presidency and the National Constituent Assembly. José Linhares remained in office until the inauguration of the elected president, Eurico Gaspar Dutra.