Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians Takes Assertive Legal Action to Defend Their Sovereign Rights

Vallejo, CA — The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians announced today that it has filed motions in three federal cases seeking dismissal of lawsuits brought by opponent casino tribes attempting to unwind the Department of the Interior’s January 10, 2025 decision placing 160 acres of land in Vallejo, California into trust for Scotts Valley and confirming the Tribe’s eligibility to conduct gaming on that land under the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

In each case, Scotts Valley has moved to intervene for the limited purpose of seeking dismissal under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The Tribe’s position is straightforward: because the lawsuits directly attack Scotts Valley’s trust land and its restored-lands eligibility, federal law requires the Tribe’s presence as a party — yet tribal sovereign immunity prevents the Tribe from being involuntarily joined. Under binding Supreme Court precedent, the cases therefore must be dismissed.

“These lawsuits attempt to derail the Tribe’s long-awaited opportunity for economic self-sufficiency,” said Chairman Shawn Davis. “Scotts Valley will vigorously defend its rights, its future, and its sovereignty. We won’t be bullied by competitors who put their profits over what’s right. We remain confident that the law and facts are on our side, and we are committed to delivering a project to uplift our Tribal members and the entire Vallejo community.”

The Tribe’s filings explain that Scotts Valley’s trust land is essential to its governmental functions, economic development, and ability to provide housing and services to its tribal members.

“This is a significant moment,” said Patrick R. Bergin, counsel for Scotts Valley. “Scotts Valley is taking the strongest step available to a sovereign Indian tribe to protect its land and its future.”

The Scotts Valley Tribe emphasized that these lawsuits by the tribes that own Cash Creek Casino, San Pablo Lytton Casino, and Thunder Valley Casino Resort are driven by market-protection motives seeking to block Scotts Valley’s long-overdue land restoration. The Department of the Interior’s January 10 decision was based on a comprehensive record and confirmed the Tribe’s historical, cultural, and legal connections to the Vallejo area.

“Scotts Valley has waited generations for the chance to rebuild what federal policies took away,” Chairman Davis added. “We will not allow selfish economic concerns and distortions from a few neighboring tribes to erase our history or our rights.”

The Tribe filed motions to intervene and to dismiss in:

• Lytton Rancheria of California v. U.S. Department of the Interior (No. 1:25-cv-1088-TNM),
• United Auburn Indian Community v. U.S. Department of the Interior (No. 1:25-cv-00873-TNM),
• Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation v. U.S. Department of the Interior (No. 1:25-cv-00867-TNM).

The motions are before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.