The first hearing on the lawsuit by opponents of an Indian casino in Elk Grove, California that challenges the process that put the land into trust will be held on January 9 in federal district court in Washington D.C.
Judge Trevor N. McFadden, a recent bench appointee by President Trump, will preside. The 39-year-old judge is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and during the first few months of the administration was the Acting principal deputy assistant attorney general.
The plaintiff is Stand Up for California, a casino watchdog group. It seeks to overturn a decision made by the Obama administration on its last day to put land into trust for a $400 million off-reservation casino for the Wilton Rancheria Indian Tribe. The land put into trust is part of the unfinished Outlet Collection at Elk Grove shopping center. Stand Up alleges that the process violated the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998.
Stand Up filed its brief with the court on December 4 and the government has yet to file its response.
