State v. Lundberg ( ( 2017 )


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  •                                          Nos. 114,897
    114,898
    IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF KANSAS
    STATE OF KANSAS,
    Appellant,
    v.
    DAVID G. LUNDBERG
    and
    MICHAEL L. ELZUFON,
    Appellees.
    SYLLABUS BY THE COURT
    1.
    Whether jurisdiction exists is a question of law over which appellate courts have
    unlimited review.
    2.
    The purpose of the Kansas Securities Act is to provide rigid governmental
    regulation and control over the promoting and selling of speculative securities in order to
    protect both investors and the public.
    3.
    The Kansas Securities Act is patterned after the Uniform Securities Act that, in
    turn, is modeled after the Federal Securities Act. Accordingly, Kansas courts may look to
    decisions of federal courts as well as decisions from other states that have adopted the
    Uniform Securities Act for guidance in interpreting the Kansas Securities Act in an
    attempt to make its application uniform with other jurisdictions.
    1
    4.
    K.S.A. 17-12a501 makes it unlawful for a person, in connection with the offer,
    sale, or purchase of a security, to make an untrue statement of material fact or to omit a
    material fact. It is also unlawful to engage in an act, practice, or course of business that
    operates as a fraud or deceit upon another person.
    5.
    Under K.S.A. 17-12a610, Kansas courts have territorial jurisdiction over a person
    that sells or offers to sell a security in this state. Likewise, Kansas courts have jurisdiction
    where the purchase or offer to purchase a security is made and accepted in this state. An
    offer to sell or to purchase a security is made in Kansas—whether or not either party is
    then present in this state—if the offer originates from within Kansas.
    6.
    An out-of-state offer originates from Kansas if any portion of the selling process
    has occurred here or if there is some territorial nexus between the offer and this state.
    Appeal from Sedgwick District Court; BENJAMIN L. BURGESS, judge. Opinion filed March 3,
    2017. Reversed and remanded.
    Thomas E. Knutzen, deputy director of policy and senior staff attorney, and Joshua A. Ney, Ryan
    A. Kriegshauser, and Christopher D. Mann, of the Office of the Kansas Securities Commissioner, and
    Derek Schmidt, attorney general, for appellant.
    Richard Ney and David L. Miller, of Ney, Adams & Miller, of Wichita, for appellee David G.
    Lundberg.
    Kurt P. Kerns, of Ariagno, Kerns, Mank & White, LLC, of Wichita, for appellee Michael L.
    Elzufon.
    2
    Zachary T. Knepper, deputy general counsel, and A. Valerie Mirko, general counsel, of North
    American Securities Administrators Association, Inc., of Washington, D.C., and Alan V. Johnson, of
    Sloan, Eisenbarth, Glassman, McEntire & Jarboe, L.L.C., of Topeka, for amicus curiae North American
    Securities Administrators Association, Inc.
    Before BRUNS, P.J., MCANANY and BUSER, JJ.
    BRUNS, J.: The State appeals from the district court's decision dismissing 56
    counts in each of two 61-count criminal complaints filed against David G. Lundberg and
    Michael W. Elzufon. The complaints alleged that Lundberg and Elzufon had violated the
    Kansas Uniform Securities Act, K.S.A. 17-12a101 et seq. Specifically, the complaints
    asserted that Lundberg and Elzufon unlawfully sold—or offered to sell—unregistered
    securities and committed securities fraud.
    The district court consolidated the two cases for preliminary hearing. Prior to the
    hearing, Lundberg filed a motion to dismiss for lack of territorial jurisdiction because the
    sales, offers to sell, and purchases occurred outside of Kansas. Elzufon subsequently
    joined the motion to dismiss and, prior to the completion of the preliminary hearing, the
    district court dismissed the bulk of the charges against both defendants for lack of
    territorial jurisdiction. Subsequently, the State voluntarily dismissed the remaining
    charges in order to appeal the district court's decision.
    On appeal, we find that the district court has territorial jurisdiction over these
    cases pursuant to K.S.A. 17-12a610 because a portion of the securities selling process
    occurred in this state. Furthermore, we find that there is a sufficient territorial nexus
    between the actions of Lundberg and Elzufon—as well as that of their limited liability
    companies—to support jurisdiction in Kansas. Thus, although we take no position on the
    merits of the criminal charges brought against Lundberg and Elzufon, we reverse the
    district court's decision to dismiss these cases for lack of territorial jurisdiction, and we
    remand them to the district court for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.
    3
    FACTS
    The pertinent facts necessary to resolve the issue of territorial jurisdiction are
    undisputed, and we can glean them primarily from the stipulation of facts entered into by
    the parties. In addition, the State supplemented these facts with testimony offered at the
    preliminary hearing. Because of the limited issue presented on appeal, we will limit our
    discussion of the facts to those that relate to the issue of territorial jurisdiction.
    In January 2005, Lundberg and Elzufon formed a Minnesota corporation called
    Real Development Corp. Lundberg and Elzufon were listed in filings with the Minnesota
    Secretary of State as the sole shareholders, officers, and agents of the corporation for the
    duration of its existence. In May 2008, Real Development Corp. filed a foreign
    corporation application with the Kansas Secretary of State's Office. Additionally, Real
    Development Corp. maintained places of business in Minnesota and Kansas.
    In April 2006, Lundberg and Elzufon started the first of their four limited liability
    companies in Kansas, known as Wichita 19, LLC. The second—started in May 2008—
    was known as 150 WFA, LLC. The third—also started in May 2008—was known as 150
    Main, LLC. The fourth—started in June 2008—was known as 150 Main Four Ten, LLC.
    The organizational documents of the LLCs listed Lundberg and Elzufon as the sole
    members as well as the managers and agents for each of these limited liability companies.
    The parties have stipulated that substantial operations of Wichita 19, LLC, 150
    WFA, LLC, 150 Main, LLC, 150 Main Four Ten, LLC, and Real Development Corp.
    were conducted from places of business in both Minnesota and Kansas. Lundberg and
    Elzufon were also physically present in Wichita on multiple occasions. In addition,
    Lundberg and Elzufon issued promissory notes to investors relating to various buildings
    in downtown Wichita on behalf of Wichita 19, LLC, and Real Development Corp. While
    4
    some of the promissory notes stated that Minnesota law would apply to the resolution of
    disputes, others indicated that the laws of Kansas would apply.
    The operation agreement for Wichita 19, LLC, also contained a provision that any
    legal actions relating to the agreement or to transactions contemplated by the agreement
    must be brought in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas sitting in
    Wichita or in Sedgwick County District Court. Further, Lundberg signed at least one of
    the promissory notes issued to an investor while he was physically present in Sedgwick
    County. Lundberg and Elzufon also issued a promissory note to an investor who lived in
    Wichita. Subsequently, they issued another promissory note to the Wichita investor in
    their personal capacity as well as on behalf of Real Development Corp.
    Similarly, Lundberg and Elzufon issued membership interests on behalf of 150
    WFA, LLC, to investors. The operating agreement for 150 WFA, LLC, contained a
    choice of law provision stating that the laws of Kansas applied to disputes arising out of
    or relating to the agreement. It also contained a provision stating that all legal actions
    relating to the operating agreement or the transactions contemplated in the agreement
    must be brought in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas sitting in
    Wichita or in Sedgwick County District Court.
    Real Development Corp., as well as each of the Kansas LLCs, owned interests in
    assets—in particular, real property—in Wichita. Specifically, the businesses started by
    Lundberg and Elzufon were engaged in the revitalization of downtown Wichita through
    investment in and rehabilitation of commercial real estate. From at least 2005 through
    2011, the companies offered investment opportunities—including the sale of promissory
    notes and membership interests—related to their Wichita real estate. Ultimately, Real
    Development Corp. forfeited its foreign corporation application in Kansas in July 2015,
    and each of the Kansas LLCs has now forfeited or dissolved its articles of organization.
    5
    Only one of the investors, Dennis Miller, actually lived in Kansas. Many of the
    out-of-state investors lived in California. Joseph Tacelli and Tom Martinson, both
    California residents, and others introduced the California investors to the investment
    opportunity in Wichita real estate. Tacelli and Martinson received information regarding
    the investments from Lundberg and Elzufon. In turn, they used this information to solicit
    investors in exchange for a commission. At some point, Tacelli went to Wichita to meet
    with Lundberg and Elzufon about the investments. In addition, Tacelli received
    information evidently faxed to him from the Broadview Hotel in Wichita. According to
    Tacelli, he obtained approximately 12 investors for one of the Wichita projects and
    received a commission from Lundberg and Elzufon.
    Martinson raised about $800,000 from out-of-state investors and received
    approximately $120,000 in commissions. Although he believed that some of the investors
    may have gone to Kansas, he was not sure when this occurred. Specifically, Martinson
    was involved in the 150 Main project. He explained that Lundberg and Elzufon first sold
    investment opportunities in the basement and first three floors of the building under the
    name of 150 Main WFA, LLC. Once a maximum number of investors for these floors
    had been obtained, they moved on to selling investment opportunities in floors 4 through
    10 under the name 150 Main Four Ten, LLC. Martinson also invested personally in the
    property and visited Wichita with his wife about a year after they invested. According to
    Martinson, they found that the building renovation was not as promised to them by
    Lundberg and Elzufon.
    On February 10, 2015, the Sedgwick County District Attorney filed separate 61-
    count criminal complaints against Lundberg and Elzufon alleging violations of the
    Kansas Uniform Securities Act. The complaints alleged multiple counts of securities
    fraud and unlawful sale of unregistered securities occurring between December 12, 2005,
    and December 31, 2011. In particular, the State alleged that investors lost a substantial
    6
    sum of money as a result of the unlawful activities committed by Lundberg and Elzufon
    in raising funds to purchase and rehabilitate buildings in downtown Wichita.
    On September 29, 2015, Lundberg filed a motion to dismiss the charges for
    insufficient evidence "because the Defendant's alleged acts were not in connection with
    the offer, sale, or purchase of a security, as that term is defined under Kansas law." On
    the same day, Lundberg also filed a motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction, arguing
    that the district court lacked territorial jurisdiction because none of the alleged sales or
    offers to sell were made or accepted in Kansas. Subsequently, Elzufon orally joined in
    Lundberg's motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction.
    The district court commenced a preliminary hearing on November 9, 2015.
    Although the district court scheduled the preliminary hearing to last a week, it only lasted
    2 days before the parties entered into a stipulation of facts relating to the issue of
    jurisdiction. During the 2 days of the preliminary hearing, the State presented the
    testimony of 8 witnesses and introduced 40 exhibits into evidence. Each of the witnesses
    testified regarding their interactions with Lundberg and Elzufon as well as regarding their
    knowledge of the investment opportunities in the real estate located in downtown
    Wichita.
    On November 12, 2015, prior to the completion of the preliminary hearing, the
    district court dismissed the majority of the charges against Lundberg and Elzufon for lack
    of territorial jurisdiction. Although at that point the district court did not dismiss Counts
    57 through 61—which related to the sale of alleged securities to Miller, these counts were
    later voluntarily dismissed by the State so it could go forward with an appeal. We have
    consolidated the two cases for the purposes of appeal. We also granted a motion filed by
    the North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc., for leave to file an
    amicus curiae brief.
    7
    ANALYSIS
    Issue Presented and Standard of Review
    On appeal, the sole issue presented by the State is whether the district court erred
    in holding that it did not have territorial jurisdiction over these cases alleging violations
    of the Kansas Securities Act. Both the State—through the Office of the Kansas Securities
    Commissioner—and the North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc.—
    which has filed an amicus curiae brief in this case—contend that territorial jurisdiction
    exists in these cases pursuant to K.S.A. 17-12a610 because a portion of the selling
    process occurred in Kansas. In response, Lundberg and Elzufon contend that their
    business activities in Kansas did not constitute an "offer to sell" or a "sale" of securities
    over which Kansas courts have territorial jurisdiction.
    Whether jurisdiction exists is a question of law over which we have unlimited
    review. State v. Rizo, 
    304 Kan. 974
    , 984, 
    377 P.3d 419
    (2016); State v. Rupnick, 
    280 Kan. 720
    , 741, 
    125 P.3d 541
    (2005) (whether territorial jurisdiction exists is a question of law
    over which an appellate court's scope of review is unlimited). To the extent that the
    resolution of this issue requires statutory interpretation, we apply a de novo standard of
    review. State v. Dunn, 
    304 Kan. 773
    , 819, 
    375 P.3d 332
    (2016). Likewise, when the State
    appeals the dismissal of a complaint, our standard of review is de novo. State v. Fredrick,
    
    292 Kan. 169
    , 171, 
    251 P.3d 48
    (2011). Although Elzufon argues in his brief that we
    should apply a "negative finding" standard of review, we find that the result in this appeal
    would be the same under either standard. See Hamel v. Hamel, 
    296 Kan. 1060
    , 1078, 
    299 P.3d 278
    (2013).
    8
    Kansas Securities Law
    In 1911, Kansas was the first state in the United States to enact blue sky laws. See
    L. 1911, ch. 133, § 1; L. 1913, ch. 141, § 1. By 1933, every state in the union had enacted
    similar statutes. These acts were intended to protect the public from "'speculative
    schemes which have no more basis than so many feet of blue sky'" and, as a result, they
    became known as "'blue sky laws.'" Brenner v. Oppenheimer & Co., 
    273 Kan. 525
    , 533,
    
    44 P.3d 364
    (2002) (quoting 69A Am. Jur. 2d, Securities Regulation State § 1, p. 759
    [1993]). "Because securities acts are remedial legislation, they must be liberally
    construed." See State ex rel. Mays v. Ridenhour, 
    248 Kan. 919
    , 934, 
    811 P.2d 1220
    (1991).
    Similarly, Congress passed the Securities Act of 1933, 15 U.S.C. § 77a et seq.
    (2012), to regulate the sale of securities nationally. It is important to note, however, that
    the Federal Securities Act does not preempt the Kansas Securities Act. Instead, the
    Federal Securities Act expressly allows for state regulation of securities. 
    Brenner, 273 Kan. at 533-34
    . Accordingly, federal and state laws work together to protect the public
    from the sale of unregistered, fraudulent, and speculative securities.
    Among other things, the Kansas Securities Act makes it "unlawful for a person, in
    connection with the offer, sale, or purchase of a security, directly or indirectly" to make
    untrue statements of material fact or to omit material facts. K.S.A. 17-12a501(2). In
    addition, it is illegal to engage in fraudulent actions in connection with the sale of a
    security. See K.S.A. 17-12a501(3). It is also unlawful—subject to certain exceptions—to
    sell an unregistered security. K.S.A. 17-12a301. Under the Act, a "person" can be "an
    individual; corporation; . . . limited liability company; association; joint venture; . . . or
    any other legal or commercial entity." K.S.A. 17-12a102(20).
    9
    The Kansas Supreme Court has held "that the legislative intent and purpose for
    enacting the Kansas Securities Act was to place the traffic of promoting and dealing in
    speculative securities under rigid governmental regulation and control to protect investors
    and to prevent, to the extent possible, the sale of fraudulent or worthless speculative
    securities." 
    Ridenhour, 248 Kan. at 934
    (citing State v. Hodge, 
    204 Kan. 98
    , 101, 
    460 P.2d 596
    [1969]); see also Klein v. Oppenheimer & Co., 
    281 Kan. 330
    , 332, 
    130 P.3d 569
    (2006). The Kansas Legislature pattered the current version of the Kansas Securities
    Act—enacted in 2004—after the Uniform Securities Act of 2002 that, in turn, is modeled
    after the Federal Securities Act. Thus, when interpreting and applying the Kansas
    Securities Act, we may look to federal decisions as well as decisions from other states for
    guidance. See State ex rel. Owens v. Colby, 
    231 Kan. 498
    , 501, 
    646 P.2d 1071
    (1982);
    State v. Atteberry, 
    44 Kan. App. 2d 478
    , 489, 
    239 P.3d 857
    (2010).
    Interpretation of K.S.A. 17-12a610
    The Kansas Securities Act also contains what is known as a territorial jurisdiction
    provision at K.S.A. 17-12a610. Specifically, the statute states:
    "(a) Sales and offers to sell. K.S.A. 17-12a301 . . . [and] 17-12a501 . . . do not
    apply to a person that sells or offers to sell a security unless the offer to sell or the sale is
    made in this state or the offer to purchase or the purchase is made and accepted in this
    state.
    ....
    "(c) Offers in this State. For the purpose of this section, an offer to sell or to
    purchase a security is made in this state, whether or not either party is then present in this
    state, if the offer:
    (1) Originates from within this state . . . ." K.S.A. 17-12a610.
    10
    As indicated above, courts are to liberally construe the Kansas Securities Act to
    protect investors and members of the public. 
    Ridenhour, 248 Kan. at 934
    . Although
    Lundberg and Elzufon argue that we should strictly construe K.S.A. 17-12a610 because
    this is a criminal case, we note that the Kansas Supreme Court has applied a broad
    interpretation to a territorial jurisdiction statute in a criminal case. State v. Grissom, 
    251 Kan. 851
    , 885-89, 
    840 P.2d 1142
    (1992). In Grissom, which involved criminal activity
    occurring in both Kansas and Missouri that led to three murders at an unknown location,
    our Supreme Court found:
    "A broad interpretation of the territorial jurisdiction statute is consistent with our
    venue statutes. Although jurisdiction and venue are different, an analogy can be made to
    the venue statutes. For example, if a crime is committed in two counties, either county
    has venue. K.S.A. 22-2603. If a crime is committed on or so near the boundary of two
    counties that it cannot be determined in which county the crime occurred, either county
    has venue. K.S.A. 22-2604. If the cause of death is inflicted in one county and the victim
    dies in another county, either county has venue. K.S.A. 22-2611." 
    Grissom, 251 Kan. at 889
    .
    Our Supreme Court went on to conclude that there was "evidence from which a
    jury could find that Grissom committed criminal acts in Kansas which were a substantial
    and integral part of an overall continuing crime plan and which were in partial execution
    of the 
    plan." 251 Kan. at 889
    . We find that a similar rationale applies in cases involving
    alleged violations of the Kansas Securities Act because alleged violations—or acts in
    furtherance of a violation—may occur in more than one state. Furthermore, we find the
    plain language of K.S.A. 17-12a610 is far-reaching and provides for territorial
    jurisdiction over any person who sells or offers to sell securities where such transaction
    "originates" in Kansas whether or not either party is present within this state. K.S.A. 17-
    12a610(c).
    11
    In interpreting K.S.A. 17-12a610, we also find guidance from the legal authority
    cited in the amicus brief filed by the North American Securities Administrators
    Association, Inc. (NASAA) in this appeal. The NASAA was formed in 1919 and is a
    nonprofit association of state, provincial, and territorial securities regulators in the United
    States, Canada, and Mexico. Its members include the securities regulators from all 50
    states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Part of the
    work of the NASAA is to promulgate model rules and coordinate multi-state enforcement
    actions relating to securities acts.
    In its brief, the NASAA shows that the territorial jurisdiction statute codified at
    K.S.A. 17-12a610 is consistent with the jurisdictional provisions found in the Uniform
    Securities Act of 2002 and the Uniform Securities Act of 1956. Specifically, the NASAA
    asserts that all of these provisions confer territorial jurisdiction where a sale or offer to
    sell a security "originates" from the state. Moreover, the NASAA indicates that 33 states
    have adopted this language while the remaining states have a similar requirement.
    However, only a few courts have addressed the issue of what it means for a sale or offer
    to sell to originate from a state.
    The NASAA points us to two cases setting forth tests that courts may use in
    determining whether a sale or offer to sell a security originates from within a state. In
    Newsome v. Diamond Oil Producers, Inc., CCH Blue Sky L. Rptr. ¶ 71,869 (Okla. Dist.
    Ct. 1983), an Oklahoma state court determined that a sale or offer to sell a security
    originates from a state if "any portion of the selling process" has occurred within the
    state. (Emphasis added.) Subsequently, both the United States District Court for the
    Middle District of Florida and the United States District Court for the Southern District of
    Indiana have adopted what has become known as the Newsome test. See Barnebey v. E.F.
    Hutton & Co., 
    715 F. Supp. 1512
    , 1540 (M.D. Fla. 1989); Klawans v. E.F. Hutton & Co.,
    Case No. IP 83-680-C (S.D. Ind. 1989).
    12
    In Lintz v. Carey Manor Ltd., 
    613 F. Supp. 543
    , 550 (W.D. Va. 1985), the United
    States District Court for the Western District of Virginia adopted a similar—although not
    identical—test. The Lintz court found that "so long as there is some territorial nexus to a
    particular transaction, the [security] laws of two or more states may simultaneously
    apply." (Emphasis 
    added.) 613 F. Supp. at 550
    (citing Loss, The Conflict of Laws and the
    Blue Sky Laws, 71 Harv. L. Rev. 209, 242 [1957]). The Lintz test was subsequently
    adopted by the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, by the
    United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, and by the Supreme
    Court of Colorado. See Cromeans v. Morgan Keegan & Co., Inc., 
    303 F.R.D. 543
    , 556
    (W.D. Mo. 2014); Nuveen Premium Income Mun. Fund 4, Inc. v. Morgan Keegan & Co.,
    Inc., 
    200 F. Supp. 2d 1313
    , 1317-18 (W.D. Okla. 2002); Rosenthal v. Dean Witter
    Reynolds, Inc., 
    908 P.2d 1095
    , 1105 (Colo. 1995).
    Although the Newsome and Lintz tests are not identical, they are very similar in
    that they allow a state not only to protect its own citizens but also to protect against
    unlawful securities activities from taking place—in whole or in part—within the borders
    of a state. We find these tests to be consistent with the common meaning of the word
    originate, which is "[t]o bring into being, create" or to "start" something. American
    Heritage Dictionary, p. 1241 (4th ed. 2006). We also find these tests to be consistent with
    the requirement under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the
    United States Constitution that a "defendant's conduct and connection with the forum
    State [must be] such that he should reasonably anticipate being haled into court there."
    Burger King Corp. v. Rudzewicz, 
    471 U.S. 462
    , 474, 
    105 S. Ct. 2174
    , 
    85 L. Ed. 2d 528
    (1985); see also Merriman v. Crompton Corp., 
    282 Kan. 433
    , Syl. ¶ 18, 
    146 P.3d 162
    (2006) (Defendants should "not be haled into a jurisdiction solely as a result of random,
    fortuitous, or attenuated contacts."). Thus, in interpreting K.S.A. 17-12a610, we conclude
    that a sale or offer to sell a security originates in Kansas if any portion of the selling
    process has occurred here or if there is some territorial nexus between the offer and the
    State of Kansas.
    13
    Application of K.S.A. 17-12a610
    In the present case, the record on appeal reflects that Lundberg and Elzufon started
    the four Kansas LLCs for the purpose of raising funds from investors for the
    revitalization of buildings located in downtown Wichita. Each of the Kansas LLCs—as
    well as Real Development Corp.—maintained places of business in Kansas. In particular,
    the Kansas LLCs and Real Development Corp. had places of business at 105 S.
    Broadway and 125 N. Market Street in Wichita. The parties have also stipulated that
    "substantial operations" of these business entities—of which Lundberg and Elzufon were
    the sole owners, managers, and/or agents—were conducted in both Minnesota and
    Kansas.
    At least some of the promissory notes and membership interests issued by
    Lundberg and Elzufon stated that Kansas law would apply. One of these promissory
    notes was signed while Lundberg was physically present in Kansas. Another promissory
    note was issued to an investor who lived in Wichita. In addition, at least some of the
    operating agreements for the Kansas LLCs provided that any legal actions relating to
    them must be brought in either the United States District Court for the District of Kansas
    sitting in Wichita or in Sedgwick County District Court.
    On multiple occasions, Lundberg and Elzufon were physically present in Kansas.
    Those who were selling the alleged securities on behalf of the Kansas LLCs and/or Real
    Development Corp. received information regarding the investments as well as
    commissions from Lundberg and Elzufon. One of these people travelled to Wichita to
    meet with Lundberg and Elzufon. It also appears that at least some information about the
    investments was faxed from the Broadview Hotel in Wichita.
    Based on the stipulation of the parties as well as the evidence presented during the
    initial portion of the preliminary hearing, we do not find Lundberg's and Elzufon's
    14
    connections with Kansas to be random, fortuitous, or attenuated. Rather, we find their
    connection to Kansas to be purposeful and they should have reasonably anticipated that
    they might be haled into Kansas court based on their substantial and continuing activities
    here over the course of several years. We also find that a portion of the selling process of
    the alleged securities occurred in Kansas and that there is a territorial nexus between
    Kansas and the alleged violations of the Kansas Securities Act. We, therefore, conclude
    that the district court has territorial jurisdiction over these cases pursuant to K.S.A. 17-
    12a610.
    Because the district court dismissed these cases before the completion of the
    preliminary hearing, we do not take a position regarding whether there is sufficient
    evidence to bind either Lundberg or Elzufon over for trial on any of the charges asserted
    by the State. Rather, we remand these cases to the district court for reinstatement of the
    complaints, for completion of the preliminary hearing, and for any further proceedings
    that may be appropriate.
    Reversed and remanded for further proceedings.
    15