Christopher W. STRIFF, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. John MASON, Et Al. Defendants-Appellees

LIVELY, Circuit Judge.

This appeal presents two questions. The first is whether this case was properly removed from a state court to the United States District Court. If we determine that the district court was correct in upholding removal and denying a motion to remand, we reach the question of whether the removed action was properly dismissed as a collateral attack on a consent decree previously approved and entered by the district court.

I

Since at least 1972 there have been efforts to eliminate racial discrimination in the recruitment, hiring and promotion practices of the fire and police…