The attorneys of the Washington County Prosecutor's Office include:
Tara Coats Hunt, Prosecutor
Tara Coats Hunt graduated from Salem High School in 1995 and obtained her bachelor’s degree from Indiana University Southeast in 1999. She graduated from Marquette University Law School in 2003 and practiced for nearly six years in Wisconsin before returning to Washington County in 2009. While in Wisconsin she worked for boutique law firms handling complex litigation in fire and explosions, auto crashworthiness, and product liability cases around the United States. She was a partner in Hunt Rippey Law LLC before joining the Prosecutor’s office in 2017.
Tara currently serves as the chair for the Indiana Prosecuting Attorney Association (IPAC) Technology Committee and is a member of the National District Attorney’s Association (NDAA) Communication and PR Committee. She also serves as board President of the Washington County Substance Abuse Council. Tara has also served as chair of the Washington County Republican Central Committee for the past eight years.
Tara lives in Salem with her husband, Chris. They have two sons who are pursuing their career goals in college and the Indiana Army National Guard. When not in the office, Tara enjoys relaxing by a campfire, reading, and catching up on their sons' events. Both Tara and her husband Chris volunteer their Friday nights in the fall, by broadcasting the West Washington Senators football games live on WSLM radio.
Melissa Campbell, Chief Deputy Prosecutor
Melissa Campbell graduated from eastern High School in 1991 and obtained her bachelor’s degree from Indiana University Southeast in 1995 with majors in political science and psychology. She graduated from Drake University Law School in 1998. Upon graduation, she worked as a public defender with the Marion County Public Defender Agency for over nine years. She has served as a deputy prosecutor in Floyd and Washington Counties and Chief Deputy in Jefferson County, Indiana, before returning to the Washington County Prosecutor’s Office in 2023 as Chief Deputy. She lives in Borden, Indiana, with her two children.
Nathan Bills, Deputy Prosecutor
Nathan W. Bills joined our office as Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in June 2022. He oversees a variety of cases involving drugs and alcohol, thefts, and traffic matters. Nathan earned dual B.A. degrees in Criminal Justice/Criminology and Political Science from Ball State University and holds a J.D. from the University of Tulsa College of Law. His professional experiences include five years as a probation officer, an internship with the U.S. Attorney Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, and over six years practicing child welfare law.
Nathan lives in rural Washington County with his wife, Darcie, and their three children. He is an active member of Mt. Tabor Christian Church and Salem Masonic Lodge #21, and volunteers with the Rooted Student Ministry weekly. Nathan is a graduate and former board president of Awareness Washington County and serves on the boards of the Washington County CASA program and Washington County Substance Abuse Council. He enjoys a good cup of coffee, lively discussion, campfires, and pursuing barbeque mastery.
Trent Thompson, Deputy Prosecutor, Child Support Division
Trent Thompson graduated from Salem High School in 1970. He obtained his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University in 1974. He graduated from Indiana University Law School Indianapolis in 1977 and entered the practice of law. Trent is a member of the Indiana State Bar Association and the Washington County Bar Association.