United States Court of Appeals
                         FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT
                                ___________

                                No. 03-3210
                                ___________

Ione Betone; Edna Thompson;             *
Adrienne Bruguier; Bertha Chasing       *
Hawk, all concerned tribal members,     *
                                        *
             Appellants,                *
                                        * Appeal from the United States
       v.                               * District Court for the
                                        * District of South Dakota.
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Council, *
former to present officials; Cheyenne *     [UNPUBLISHED]
River Sioux Tribe, executive officers; *
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe,             *
comptroller; Cheyenne River Sioux       *
Tribe, compliance officer; Thomas       *
Van Norman, Cheyenne River Sioux        *
Tribe Tribal Attorney; Si Tanka/Huron *
University, Huron, SD, former to        *
present officials; Si Tanka/Huron       *
University, Administration, former to *
present officials; Si Tanka/Huron       *
University, Board of Directors, former *
to present officials; Si Tanka/Huron,   *
Board of Trustees, former to present    *
officials; Russell McClure, BIA         *
Superintendent, Si Tanka/Huron          *
Board of Trustees; Oyate Consortium; *
Tom Shortbull; Oglala Lakota College, *
                                        *
             Appellees.                 *
                                   ___________
                             Submitted: August 6, 2004
                                Filed: August 11, 2004
                                 ___________

Before MELLOY, LAY, and COLLOTON, Circuit Judges.
                           ___________

PER CURIAM.

      Ione Betone and others appeal the district court’s1 order denying their motion
for preliminary injunctive relief. We agree with the district court that absent a
complaint, such a motion could not be entertained. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 3 (civil action
is commenced on filing of complaint with court); Nat’l Credit Union Admin. Bd. v.
Johnson, 

, 1103 n.5 (8th Cir. 1998) (limited purpose of preliminary
injunction is to preserve relative positions of parties until trial on merits).

      Accordingly, we affirm. See 8th Cir. R. 47B.
                     ______________________________




      1
       The Honorable Richard H. Battey, United States District Judge for the District
of South Dakota.
                                         -2-