s ▁State ▁University ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁class room ▁teacher . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁his ▁marriage , ▁Gu aris co ▁was ▁affili ated ▁with ▁the ▁Morgan ▁City ▁law ▁firm ▁Le vy , ▁Bur le igh , ▁Rus so ▁and ▁Bour g . ▁In ▁a ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁murder ▁case , ▁Gu aris co ▁successfully ▁obtained ▁the ▁first ▁ver dict ▁of ▁" Not ▁guilty ▁by ▁reason ▁of ▁ins an ity " ▁in ▁Louisiana ▁criminal ▁law ▁history . ▁ ▁Political ▁races ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁Gu aris co ▁was ▁elected ▁on ▁a ▁non - part isan ▁ball ot ▁as ▁a ▁delegate ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁Louisiana ▁Constitution al ▁Convention ▁held ▁in ▁Bat on ▁Rou ge . ▁ ▁He ▁ ▁first ▁won ▁his ▁seat ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁election , ▁the ▁first ▁in ▁Louisiana ▁under ▁the ▁non part isan ▁blank et ▁primary ▁format , ▁and ▁served ▁three ▁four - year ▁terms . ▁To ▁win ▁the ▁seat , ▁he ▁defeated ▁State ▁Represent ative ▁El ward ▁Thomas ▁Br ady ▁Jr ., ▁of ▁Hou ma ▁in ▁Ter re bon ne ▁Par ish , ▁who ▁had ▁worked ▁to ▁control ▁the ▁damage ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁Mississippi ▁River ▁flo ods . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁Gu aris co ▁successfully ▁spons ored ▁a ▁bill ▁to ▁permit ▁phys icians ▁in ▁Louisiana ▁to ▁pres cribe ▁mar iju ana ▁for ▁those ▁with ▁gla u com a ▁or ▁in ▁treatment ▁by ▁chem other apy . ▁C