Personal jurisdiction is the authority a court has to make legally enforceable orders related to a person or entity and the property of the person or entity, and usually arises when a person has been sued in a lawsuit. For a court to have personal jurisdiction, the person or entity generally (1) must be a resident of the state in which the court is located; (2) as a nonresident, must have initiated sufficient minimum contacts with the state in which the lawsuit is filed; or (3) must have agreed to be governed by the laws of the state (in a contract or website terms) in which the lawsuit is filed.

In Kansas, as in other states, personal jurisdiction refers to a court's power to bring a person or entity into its court system and make decisions that are legally binding upon them. For a Kansas court to establish personal jurisdiction, the person or entity typically must have a significant connection to the state. This can be established if the person is a resident of Kansas or if a nonresident has sufficient minimum contacts with the state, such as conducting business or committing a tort within Kansas. Additionally, personal jurisdiction can be consented to if a person or entity agrees to the jurisdiction of Kansas courts, which can occur through contractual agreements or by accepting the terms of service on a website that stipulates Kansas law will govern disputes. Kansas courts will analyze the nature and quality of contacts with the state to determine if asserting jurisdiction would be fair and reasonable under the circumstances, in line with the due process clause of the U.S. Constitution.