Joseph v. Mieka Corp.

2012 COA 84, 282 P.3d 509, 2012 WL 1638882, 2012 Colo. App. LEXIS 745
CourtColorado Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 10, 2012
DocketNo. 11CA1080
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 2012 COA 84 (Joseph v. Mieka Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Colorado Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Joseph v. Mieka Corp., 2012 COA 84, 282 P.3d 509, 2012 WL 1638882, 2012 Colo. App. LEXIS 745 (Colo. Ct. App. 2012).

Opinion

Opinion by

Judge TAUBMAN.

T 1 In this judicial review of a final cease and desist order issued by petitioner, Fred J. Joseph, Colorado Securities Commissioner (Commissioner), respondents, Micka Corpo[512]*512ration, Daro Blankenship, and Stephen Romo (collectively respondents), appeal the order prohibiting them from committing any violation of the Colorado Securities Act (CSA), sections 11-51-1011 to -908, C.R.S.2011, in connection with the offer and sale of any security in or from the State of Colorado. We affirm.

I. Background

T2 This case arises out of an order issued by the Colorado Division of Securities (Division) directing the respondents to show cause why a final order should not be entered against them in conjunction with the alleged sale of securities in violation of the CSA. More specifically, the order alleged that the respondents had violated provisions of the CSA by offering for sale interests in a joint venture to develop an oil and gas lease in Pennsylvania (the Joint Venture).

13 At the administrative hearing, division employee David Swafford testified that he had received calls from Romo soliciting his participation in the Joint Venture, and that he had no previous relationship with the respondents. Swafford testified that Romo explained that he would have to contribute $158,400 to purchase a unit in the Joint Venture. After expressing interest in participating, Swafford received a package from the respondents including a Confidential Information Memorandum (CIM), which included the proposed Joint Venture Agreement. The CIM explained that the total offering price was $3,960,000, and that if all twenty-five units sold, the Joint Venture would acquire a forty-four percent working interest in two oil and gas wells According to the CIM, the respondents developed the Joint Venture's well drilling proposal as a general partnership under Texas law.

T4 Although Swafford did not ultimately purchase an interest in the Joint Venture, the Division identified another investor in Colorado who had allegedly done so.

T5 Following the hearing, the Division, through a hearing panel (Panel), issued 2 detailed opinion concluding, among other things, that the evidence presented established that the interests in the Joint Venture were securities under the CSA and that there had been an offer and a sale of such security interests. Reviewing "the substantive economic realities of the transaction," the Panel determined that the Joint Venture agreement constituted an investment contract and therefore, interests in the Joint Venture constituted securities under the CSA. Because those securities had not been registered with the Division, the Panel recommended that the Commissioner issue a cease and desist order against the respondents to enjoin them from violating the CSA.

T6 In April 2011, the Commissioner affirmed the decision of the Panel after adopting its findings of evidentiary fact. The Commissioner also affirmed the Panel's conclusions of law, with two exceptions: (1) the Commissioner concluded that "the strong presumption that general partnerships are not securities as found in the Williamson case [Williamson v. Tucker, 645 F.2d 404 (5th Cir.1981)] is not the law under the Colorado Securities Act"; and (2) although the Panel had concluded that Romo had acted as an unlicensed sales representative in violation of the CSA, the Commissioner concluded that he had acted as an unlicensed broker-dealer or sales representative in violation of section 11-51-401(2), C.R.S.2011. The validity of these two legal conclusions is the primary issue raised by the respondents on appeal.

II. Applicable Standard of Review

T7 Appellate courts review a Commissioner's final order under the standard set forth in section 24-4-106(7), C.R.S8.2011. §§ 11-51-607(1), 24-4-106(11), C.R.S.2011. Accordingly, we affirm the order unless we find that the agency action was arbitrary and capricious, an abuse of discretion, or based on findings of fact that are clearly erroneous on the whole record, unsupported by substantial evidence, or otherwise contrary to law. § 24-4-106(7); see Lawley v. Dep't of Higher Educ., 36 P.3d 1239, 1247 (Colo.2001).

18 Findings of ultimate fact involve a conclusion of law, or a mixed question of law and fact, and settle the rights and Habilities of the parties. State Bd. of Med. Examiners v. McCroskey, 880 P.2d 1188, 1193 (Colo. [513]*5131994). We uphold the Commissioner's findings of ultimate fact that have a reasonable basis in law and are supported by substantial evidence in the record viewed as a whole. Black Diamond Fund, LLLP v. Joseph, 211 P.3d 727, 730 (Colo.App.2009); Westmark Asset Mgmt. Corp. v. Joseph, 37 P.3d 516, 520 (Colo.App.2001). Substantial evidence is sufficient probative evidence to adequately support a conclusion, without regard to the existence of conflicting evidence. Black Diamond Fund, 211 P.3d at 730; Westmark Asset Mgmt., 37 P.3d at 520.

T9 Findings of evidentiary fact, the detailed factual or historical findings upon which a legal determination rests, will not be set aside unless they are contrary to the weight of the evidence. See McCroskey, 880 P.2d at 1198.

€ 10 In contrast, although we afford deference to an agency's reasonable interpretation of its enabling statute and regulations, we are not bound by its conclusions of law. See Black Diamond Fund, 211 P.8d at 730

III. Existence of Securities

{11 The Panel and the Commissioner found the respondents sold unregistered securities in violation of section 11-51-8301, C.R.S.2011, based on their conclusion that the Joint Venture interests were interests in an investment contract. The respondents contend that this conclusion was based on an erroneous view of the law, or alternatively, unsupported by substantial evidence in the record. We do not address the first contention and disagree with the second.

A. Legal Framework

1 12 It is unlawful to offer or sell a security in Colorado unless it is registered or exempt under the CSA. § 11-51-801.

118 Although an interest in a general partnership or a joint venture is not defined as a security under section 11-51-201(17), C.R.S$.2011, a "security" includes an "investment contract." § 11-51-201(17); Feigin v. Digital Interactive Associates, Inc., 987 P.2d 876, 881 (Colo.App.1999). Whether a particular transaction involves a security depends on the substantive economic realities underlying the transaction, not on the name or the form of the instrument. Joseph v. Viatica Mgmt., LLC, 55 P.3d 264, 266 (Colo.App.2002). Applying an economic realities analysis to the Joint Venture, the Panel found, and the Commissioner adopted its finding, that the Joint Venture was an investment contract and therefore a security.

114 "[An investment contract ...

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Bluebook (online)
2012 COA 84, 282 P.3d 509, 2012 WL 1638882, 2012 Colo. App. LEXIS 745, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/joseph-v-mieka-corp-coloctapp-2012.