▁of ▁the ▁State ▁Att orney ▁General , ▁Louisiana ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁Chief ▁of ▁the ▁Fel ony ▁Comp la int ▁Division ▁in ▁the ▁District ▁Att orney ' s ▁Office , ▁Jefferson ▁Par ish , ▁Louisiana , ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁in ▁private ▁practice ▁in ▁G ret na ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁and ▁in ▁Meta irie ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁city ▁att orney ▁of ▁Har ah an ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁judge ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 4 th ▁Jud icial ▁District ▁Court ▁of ▁Louisiana ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁and ▁served ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁ ▁Federal ▁jud icial ▁service ▁ ▁On ▁August ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁Por te ous ▁was ▁nominated ▁by ▁President ▁Bill ▁Cl inton ▁to ▁a ▁seat ▁on ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁District ▁Court ▁for ▁the ▁Eastern ▁District ▁of ▁Louisiana ▁vac ated ▁by ▁Robert ▁Frederick ▁Collins . ▁He ▁was ▁confirmed ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Senate ▁on ▁October ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁and ▁received ▁his ▁commission ▁on ▁October ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁ ▁Notable ▁r ul ings ▁ ▁Por te ous ▁ruled ▁in