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A tribal judge on Thursday affirmed that, for the time being, the Crow Tribe’s chairmanship is still held by Alvin “A.J.” Not Afraid.

Special Judge Eldena Bear Don’t Walk wrote that the preliminary injunction “makes no finding about either party’s likelihood to prevail” in a dispute over whether a January vote succeeded in removing Not Afraid and Secretary R. Knute Old Crow from office.

Since that election, both Not Afraid and Vice Chairman Carlson “Duke” Goes Ahead, who helped orchestrate the removal effort, have attempted to claim the title of the tribe’s top elected position. Vice Secretary Shawn Backbone has similarly asserted that he is the tribe’s new secretary.

The judge’s order stated that the “irreparable harm of having two people holding themselves out as chairman of the Crow Tribe is immediate." She continued that the “public interest of the tribe demands that, for the time being, one chairman be recognized in order to conduct the tribe’s business affairs.”

The injunction, which comes 16 days after a marathon hearing in the Crow Civil Court, remains in effect “pending trial or further action of this court.”