icial ▁service ▁ ▁C ough en our ▁was ▁nominated ▁by ▁President ▁Ron ald ▁Re agan ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁to ▁a ▁seat ▁on ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁District ▁Court ▁for ▁the ▁Western ▁District ▁of ▁Washington ▁vac ated ▁by ▁Judge ▁Mor ell ▁Edward ▁Sh arp . ▁He ▁was ▁confirmed ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Senate ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁and ▁received ▁commission ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁Chief ▁Judge ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁He ▁assumed ▁senior ▁status ▁on ▁July ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁ ▁C ough en our ▁test ified ▁before ▁the ▁Senate ▁Jud ici ary ▁Committee ▁on ▁ 7 ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁and ▁ 4 ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁ ▁C ough en our ▁has ▁opposed ▁federal ▁mand atory ▁minimum ▁sentences ▁for ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁cr imes . ▁He ▁also ▁frequently ▁visited ▁individuals ▁in ▁prison ▁to ▁better ▁understand ▁the ▁system ▁and ▁effects ▁of ▁mand atory ▁minim ums . ▁ ▁Notable ▁cases ▁ ▁Sex ual ▁Pred ator ▁Law ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁C ough en our ▁found ▁Washington ▁State ' s ▁Sex ually ▁Vi ol ent ▁Pred ator ▁Law ▁to ▁be ▁" c riminal ▁in ▁nature ". ▁He ▁ruled ▁the ▁law ▁un const itution ally ▁viol ated ▁prote ctions ▁against ▁post ▁fact o ▁laws ▁and ▁double