 Duval succeeded Judge George Arceneaux Jr., who was Duval's former law partner, who died in office in 1993.He was also the assistant city attorney of Houma from 1970 to 1972 and the attorney for the consolidated Terrebonne Parish government from 1988 to 1993.Duval was nominated by President Bill Clinton on July 15, 1994, to a seat vacated by Judge George Arceneaux Jr.