Entire Controversy Doctrine

Under the 'entire controversy ' doctrine, a party who has elected not to raise a related part of the controversy is barred from raising it in a subsequent proceeding. Peduto, 878 F.2d at 727 (citing Woodward-Clyde Consultants v. Chemical and Pollution Sciences, Inc., 523 A.2d 131, 135 (N.J. 1987)). The issue of whether the federal court has jurisdiction is an independent inquiry. Generally, parties cannot through consent confer jurisdiction upon the federal courts. See Commodity Futures Trading Commission v. Schor, 106 S.Ct. 3245 (1986).