Opinion ID: 2634764
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: General Jurisdiction over Lukoil

Text: Although Archangel fails in its attempt to establish a prima facie showing of specific jurisdiction over Lukoil, we find that it has raised a reasonable inference of general jurisdiction over Lukoil. Archangel sets forth facts in its complaint showing that Lukoil operates a gas station in Colorado. Archangel also alleges that Lukoil has entered into a variety of agreements with Colorado companies to provide Lukoil with engineering services. Lukoil rebuts the allegation that it has contracted with several Colorado engineering firms through the affidavits of some of its employees. These affidavits also show that Lukoil is a Russian company with its principal place of business in Russia, and that it has never entered into any contracts with Archangel or any other entity located in Colorado. Lukoil further demonstrates that it is not registered to do business in Colorado, and that it has no offices, employees, agents, or any business interests here. Lukoil also has never conducted any meetings here, nor does it own any property in Colorado. Additionally, through the affidavit of the former advisory director of a company called Nexus Fuels, Inc., Lukoil provides competent evidence that the Glendale, Colorado, gas station at issue was, essentially, never owned or controlled by Lukoil. Relying on the affidavit of its CEO, Archangel provides competent evidence that Lukoil is active in the retail gas industry in Colorado. To support this contention, Archangel attaches a press release posted on the Lukoil website stating, in pertinent part, that LUKOIL has become the first Russian oil company which in 1997 began to build its own gasoline filling stations in the USA. Today there are six stations in Colorado, Virginia, Mane [sic], and some other states. Archangel also submits photos of a gas station in Glendale, Colorado, on which Lukoil's logo is displayed prominently. Based on Archangel's evidence showing that Lukoil essentially admitted to owning the Glendale gas station, as well as the evidence showing Lukoil's logo posted on the gas station, we conclude that Archangel established a prima facie showing of general jurisdiction over Lukoil. [7] Lukoil argues that the mere display of a logo is not sufficient for a finding of a continuous and systematic business presence. We agree. However, for purposes of the 12(b)(2) motion, we find that the logo, taken with the other evidence showing that Lukoil operates a gas station in Colorado, raises an inference that Lukoil has a continued and systematic business presence here. In the 12(b)(2) sense, then, Archangel has demonstrated a prima facie showing of general jurisdiction over Lukoil. Having decided that Archangel has established a prima facie showing of general jurisdiction over Lukoil, for purposes of the reasonableness inquiry, we conclude that this reasonable inference that Lukoil has a continuous and systematic business presence in Colorado makes it reasonable for that company to defend Archangel's claims here. Therefore, having satisfied the due process inquiry, Archangel has successfully defeated Lukoil's 12(b)(2) challenge to Colorado's personal jurisdiction over that company.