New Mills County Attorney Is Southwest Iowa Native

A new Mills County Attorney will be in place later this month.

Naeda Elliott, who’s worked the past six years in Iowa City with the Johnson County Attorney’s Office, has been selected by the Mills County Board of Supervisors to fill the position to replace Tricia McSorley, who resigned earlier this year to take a job with an Omaha insurance firm. Elliott, an Underwood native and University of Iowa graduate (undergraduate and law degree), was chosen from a pool of eight candidates.

“She has experience in various areas,” Mills County Auditor Carol Robertson said. “She comes highly recommended.”

Elliott has been involved in the successful prosecution of numerous cases in Johnson County, including a recent high-profile murder case that stemmed from a June 2015 shooting at the Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville. She also has a strong civil background and has an expertise in fine collections.

Elliott said a desire to return to Southwest Iowa attracted her to the position in Mills County.

“I’ve wanted to get back close to my family and friends,” Elliott said during a telephone interview. “It’s a great opportunity.”

Elliott will be required to reside in Mills County. In November, she’ll have to run as a candidate for the position to fulfill the remainder of McSorley’s term, which expires in December 2018.

Assistant Mills County Attorney James Burger had been handling the case load since McSorley’s departure in April, but he begins a new job this week with the Pottawattamie County Attorney’s Office. Elliott said a decision on hiring a new assistant county attorney will be made after she begins her duties in Mills County. Until then, the Pottawattamie County Attorney’s Office will assist Mills County with its case load.