A. A consent to service of process complying with this section shall be signed and filed in the form required by a rule or order pursuant to the New Mexico Uniform Securities Act. A consent appointing the director as the person’s agent for service of process in a noncriminal action or proceeding against the person, or the person’s successor or personal representative pursuant to the New Mexico Uniform Securities Act or a rule adopted or order issued pursuant to that act after the consent is filed, has the same force and validity as if the service were made personally on the person filing the consent. A person that has filed a consent complying with this subsection in connection with a previous application for registration or notice filing need not file an additional consent.

B. If a person, including a nonresident of New Mexico, engages in an act, practice or course of business prohibited or made actionable by the New Mexico Uniform Securities Act or a rule adopted or order issued pursuant to that act and the person has not filed a consent to service of process pursuant to Subsection A of this section, the act, practice or course of business constitutes the appointment of the director as the person’s agent for service of process in a noncriminal action or proceeding against the person or the person’s successor or personal representative.

C. Service pursuant to Subsection A or B of this section may be made by providing a copy of the process to the office of the director, but it is not effective unless:

(1)     the plaintiff, which may be the director, promptly sends notice of the service and a copy of the process, return receipt requested, to the defendant or respondent at the address set forth in the consent to service of process or, if a consent to service of process has not been filed, at the last known address, or takes other reasonable steps to give notice; and

(2)     the plaintiff files an affidavit of compliance with this subsection in the action or proceeding on or before the return day of the process, if any, or within the time that the court, or the director in a proceeding before the director, allows.

D. Service pursuant to Subsection C of this section may be used in a proceeding before the director or by the director in a civil action in which the director is the moving party.

E. If process is served pursuant to Subsection C of this section, the court, or the director in a proceeding before the director, shall order continuances as are necessary or appropriate to afford the defendant or respondent reasonable opportunity to defend.