Texas Fraternity Hazing Lawsuits: A Definitive Guide for Families in San Felipe

If Your Child Was Hazed at a Texas University, You Are Not Alone

A parent in San Felipe receives a late-night call. Their son, a freshman at a prestigious Texas university just an hour’s drive away, is slurring his words, confused, and in pain. He whispers about a “big brother” event, about being forced to drink something, about not wanting to “get the brothers in trouble.” He begs them not to call anyone. The frantic drive to College Station or Houston begins, your mind racing with questions: What happened? Who is responsible? Is my child safe? And what can I possibly do against a powerful fraternity and a massive university?

This is the terrifying reality facing Texas families right now. Hazing is not a relic of the past; it is a present, violent, and systemic danger on campuses across our state. As parents in San Felipe and across Austin County, you send your children to universities with pride and hope. You trust these institutions to keep them safe. But behind the iconic letters and storied traditions of Greek life, a pattern of abuse, coercion, and catastrophic injury persists.

We are The Manginello Law Firm, PLLD, operating as Attorney911, the Legal Emergency Lawyers™. Right now, we are leading one of the most serious hazing lawsuits in Texas history, fighting for Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who nearly died from fraternity hazing. This guide exists because families in San Felipe, Sealy, Bellville, and every community in Austin County deserve to know the truth about hazing, understand their legal rights, and see a path to accountability. We will explain what hazing really looks like in 2025, break down Texas law, expose the national patterns behind local chapters, and show you how to protect your child and your family’s future.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

Call 911 for medical emergencies.
Then call Attorney911: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911).
We provide immediate help—that’s why we’re the Legal Emergency Lawyers™.

In the first 48 hours:

Get medical attention immediately, even if the student insists they are “fine.”
Preserve evidence BEFORE it’s deleted:
- Screenshot group chats, texts, DMs immediately.
- Photograph injuries from multiple angles.
- Save physical items (clothing, receipts, objects).
Write down everything while memory is fresh (who, what, when, where).
Do NOT:
- Confront the fraternity/sorority.
- Sign anything from the university or insurance company.
- Post details on public social media.
- Let your child delete messages or “clean up” evidence.

Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24–48 hours. Evidence disappears fast—deleted group chats, destroyed paddles, coached witnesses. Universities move quickly to control the narrative. We can help preserve evidence and protect your child’s rights. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for an immediate, confidential consultation.

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like in Texas

For families in San Felipe, the word “hazing” might conjure images of harmless pranks or outdated traditions. The reality in 2025 is far more sinister, sophisticated, and dangerous. Modern hazing is a calculated system of control, humiliation, and violence designed to break down new members and test loyalty through suffering.

Hazing is any forced, coerced, or strongly pressured action tied to joining, keeping membership, or gaining status in a group, where the behavior endangers physical or mental health, humiliates, or exploits. Critically, your child saying “I agreed to it” does not make it safe or legal. Under Texas law and the dynamics of peer pressure and power imbalance, such consent is meaningless.

The Five Categories of Modern Hazing

1. Alcohol and Substance Hazing
This remains the single most common fatal hazing method. It’s not “just partying.” It involves forced or coerced consumption with clear intent to incapacitate.

Lineups and “Bible Study”: Pledges are forced to drink excessive amounts of alcohol, often as punishment for incorrect answers to trivia. This killed Max Gruver at LSU.
The “Big/Little” Bottle: A pledge is given an entire bottle of liquor to consume alone, a ritual that killed Stone Foltz at Bowling Green State University.
Unknown Concoctions: Being forced to drink mystery mixtures that can include drugs, cleaning chemicals, or spoiled food.

2. Physical Hazing and Brutality
Extreme physical abuse disguised as “conditioning” or “team building.”

Paddlings and Beatings: Using wooden paddles, belts, or fists to inflict pain.
“Smokings” or Hell Workouts: Forced, punitive calisthenics far beyond safe limits—hundreds of push-ups, wall-sits until collapse, sprinting until vomiting. This caused Leonel Bermudez’s rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure at UH.
Sleep and Deprivation Tactics: “Wake-up calls” at 3 AM for meaningless tasks, multi-day events with minimal sleep, restriction of food and water.

3. Sexualized and Degrading Hazing
Acts designed to maximize humiliation and violation.

Forced Nudity and Simulated Sex Acts: Including the “elephant walk” or “roasted pig” positioning.
Humiliating “Fanny Pack” Rules: As in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case, where pledges were forced to carry condoms, sex toys, and nicotine devices 24/7.
Racist, Sexist, or Homophobic Role-Play: Forcing pledges to act out bigoted stereotypes.

4. Psychological Hazing and Coercion
A sustained campaign to break down a person’s identity and autonomy.

Verbal Abuse and “Grilling”: Hours-long interrogation sessions with screaming and insults.
Social Isolation and Control: Cutting off contact with family and non-Greek friends, controlling social media.
Threats and Intimidation: Explicit or implicit threats of physical harm, expulsion from the group, or social ruin.

5. Digital Hazing: The 24/7 Prison
Hazing no longer stops at the chapter house door; it lives on your child’s phone.

Group Chat Servitude: Demands for immediate responses at all hours, “tasks” assigned via GroupMe or Discord.
Social Media Humiliation: Forced to post embarrassing content on Instagram or TikTok.
Location Tracking: Required to share live location via apps like Find My Friends.
Evidence Creation and Destruction: Being filmed during hazing, then pressured to delete the evidence.

Where Hazing Happens: It’s Not Just “Frats”

While fraternities are prevalent in lawsuits, hazing is an organism that infects many groups:

Sororities: Often involve psychological hazing, sleep deprivation, and coerced drinking.
Corps of Cadets and ROTC Programs: Military-style discipline can cross into abusive physical training and humiliation.
Athletic Teams: From football to swimming, “team bonding” can mask dangerous initiations.
Spirit and Tradition Groups: Organizations like the Texas Cowboys or cheer squads.
Marching Bands and Performance Groups.
Academic and Cultural Clubs.

The common thread is a culture of social status, tradition, and secrecy that protects abusers and silences victims. For San Felipe parents, understanding this modern landscape is the first step in recognizing the danger.

Texas Hazing Law and Your Legal Rights

As a Texas parent, you need to know the legal framework that governs hazing incidents involving your child. Texas has specific, powerful statutes, but navigating them requires experienced guidance.

The Texas Hazing Law: Education Code Chapter 37

Texas law defines hazing broadly and treats it with seriousness. Under Texas Education Code § 37.151, hazing means any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, on or off campus, by one person alone or with others, directed against a student, that:

Endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, AND
Occurs for the purpose of pledging, initiation into, affiliation with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in any organization whose members include students.

In plain English: If someone makes your child do something dangerous, harmful, or degrading to join or stay in a group, and they meant to do it or were reckless about the risk, that’s hazing under Texas law. Key points for San Felipe families:

Location Doesn’t Matter: It can happen at an off-campus house, an Airbnb in the Hill Country, or a remote retreat.
Mental Harm Counts: Severe humiliation, intimidation, and psychological trauma qualify.
“Reckless” is Enough: They don’t need to have intended the specific injury; ignoring obvious danger is sufficient.
It’s a Crime: This is not just a university policy violation.

Criminal Penalties: It’s Not Just a “Slap on the Wrist”

§ 37.152 establishes serious criminal consequences:

Class B Misdemeanor: Hazing that doesn’t cause serious injury (up to 180 days jail, fine up to $2,000).
Class A Misdemeanor: If hazing causes injury that requires medical treatment.
State Jail Felony: If hazing causes serious bodily injury or death.

Additional crimes include failing to report hazing if you’re a member or officer and you knew about it, and retaliating against someone who reports.

Organizational Liability: Holding the Group Accountable

§ 37.153 states that organizations (fraternities, sororities, clubs) can be criminally prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 per violation if:

The organization authorized or encouraged the hazing, OR
An officer or member acting in official capacity knew about hazing and failed to report it.

This means both the individual who swings the paddle and the chapter that allowed the culture can face criminal charges.

The Most Important Protection: “Consent is NOT a Defense”

§ 37.155 is critical for victims and families: “It is not a defense to prosecution for hazing that the person being hazed consented to the hazing activity.”

Even if your child said “yes” or felt pressure to participate, it’s still a crime. Courts recognize that “consent” under peer pressure, power imbalance, and fear of exclusion is not true voluntary consent. This directly dismantles the primary defense used by perpetrators.

Good-Faith Reporting Immunity: Encouraging Help

§ 37.154 protects those who come forward. A person who in good faith reports a hazing incident to university or law enforcement is immune from civil or criminal liability that might otherwise result from the report.

In practice, most universities and Texas law also provide amnesty in medical emergencies. If your child calls 911 to save a friend, even if they were drinking underage, they should not face university sanctions for the alcohol violation. Saving a life comes first.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Two Paths to Justice

It’s crucial to understand the two parallel legal tracks:

Criminal Cases: Brought by the State of Texas (a county prosecutor). The aim is punishment: jail, fines, probation. Your family is a witness, not a party. You cannot control this process.
Civil Cases: Brought by your family (the victim). The aim is compensation for damages and institutional accountability. You control this lawsuit with your attorney. A criminal conviction is not required to pursue a civil case. In fact, civil discovery can often uncover evidence that criminal investigations miss.

The Federal Overlay: Title IX, Clery, and the Stop Campus Hazing Act

Federal laws create additional rights and responsibilities:

Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment, sexual assault, or gender-based hostility, your child has specific rights to an investigation, protections from retaliation, and potential claims against the university for “deliberate indifference.”
Clery Act: Requires universities to report certain crimes and maintain safety statistics; hazing incidents often overlap with assaults or alcohol crimes that are Clery-reportable.
Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): A new federal law requiring colleges receiving federal aid to report hazing incidents more transparently and strengthen prevention programs. Public data reporting phases in by 2026.

Who Can Be Liable in a Civil Hazing Lawsuit?

Multiple parties can share responsibility, creating multiple sources for potential recovery:

Individual Students: Those who planned, supplied alcohol, carried out acts, or helped cover them up.
The Local Chapter: If it’s a legal entity (many are incorporated as housing corporations).
The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters: Often the deepest pocket. Liability hinges on what they knew or should have known from prior incidents across the country.
The University: Public universities (UH, Texas A&M, UT) have some sovereign immunity protections, but exceptions exist for gross negligence. Private schools (SMU, Baylor) have fewer protections. Key questions: Did the school have prior warnings? Did it enforce its own policies?
Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses, bars that furnished alcohol (under Texas dram shop law), security companies.

Every case is fact-specific, but a thorough investigation by experienced counsel will identify all potentially liable entities. For San Felipe families, this means the lawsuit may involve defendants in Houston, a national headquarters in another state, and an insurance company in a third state—requiring a firm with statewide and national litigation capability.

National Hazing Case Patterns: The Script That Repeats

The horrific hazing incidents at Texas universities are not isolated. They follow a national script written by decades of tragedy and cover-up. Understanding these patterns shows that what happened to your child was foreseeable and preventable.

The Alcohol Poisoning Death Script: “Big/Little” Nights

This pattern has killed repeatedly. The script: A “Big Brother” or “bid acceptance” event where a pledge is forced to consume a dangerous amount of alcohol, often alone, as a test of loyalty.

Timothy Piazza – Penn State, Beta Theta Pi (2017): 19-year-old died from traumatic brain injuries after a bid acceptance night with extreme drinking. Brothers delayed calling 911 for hours. Over 1,000 criminal charges were filed. The Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law passed in Pennsylvania.
Andrew Coffey – Florida State, Pi Kappa Phi (2017): Pledge died from acute alcohol poisoning during a “Big Brother Night” where pledges were given handles of liquor. FSU suspended all Greek life.
Max Gruver – LSU, Phi Delta Theta (2017): Pledge died from alcohol toxicity (BAC 0.495%) after a “Bible study” drinking game where wrong answers meant forced drinking. Louisiana enacted the felony Max Gruver Act.
Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha (2021): 20-year-old forced to drink an entire bottle of alcohol. Died from alcohol poisoning. The chapter was shut down, members convicted, and the family reached a $10 million settlement ($7M from Pi Kappa Alpha national).

For San Felipe parents: If your child’s hazing involved a “Big/Little” event, forced drinking games, or a handle of liquor, it followed this deadly national script. The national headquarters of that fraternity knew this script kills. Their failure to stop it is a core part of negligence.

Physical and Ritualized Hazing: “Traditions” of Violence

Chun “Michael” Deng – Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi (2013): Pledge was blindfolded, weighted with a backpack, and repeatedly tackled during a “glass ceiling” ritual at a remote retreat. He died from traumatic brain injuries. The national fraternity was criminally convicted of aggravated assault and involuntary manslaughter and banned from Pennsylvania for 10 years.
Danny Santulli – University of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta (2021): 18-year-old suffered severe, permanent brain damage after a “pledge dad reveal” drinking night. He cannot walk, talk, or see and requires 24/7 care. His family settled with 22 defendants for multi-million-dollar amounts.

Athletic Program Hazing: Beyond Greek Life

Northwestern University Football (2023–2025): Former players alleged widespread sexualized and racist hazing within the program. Multiple lawsuits led to the head coach’s firing and confidential settlements. It proved hazing thrives in big-money athletic departments with the same cover-up culture.

What These National Cases Mean for Your Texas Case

These are not just sad stories. They are legal precedents and pattern evidence. When a Texas chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, or Phi Delta Theta repeats the exact same conduct that killed someone in Ohio, Louisiana, or Florida, it demonstrates:

Foreseeability: The national organization knew this specific activity was lethally dangerous.
Negligence: Their anti-hazing policies and training were ineffective window-dressing.
Punitive Damages: Their conscious disregard for known risks can justify punishment beyond compensation.

Your attorney’s job is to subpoena the national headquarters’ records to show they knew about these prior deaths and injuries but failed to take meaningful action to protect your child.

Texas University Focus: Where San Felipe Families Send Their Kids

San Felipe is at the heart of Texas, with deep ties to our state’s flagship institutions. Your children attend universities across Texas, drawn by academic excellence and tradition. We will focus on the five major hubs where Greek life and hazing risks are most pronounced, providing the specific information San Felipe families need.

University of Houston (UH): The Flagship Case in Our Backyard

For San Felipe Families: UH is just over an hour’s drive east on I-10. Many Austin County students choose UH for its strong programs and proximity. The hazing crisis here is not theoretical—it is the subject of our firm’s active, major litigation.

Campus Snapshot: A large, diverse, urban commuter and residential campus with active Greek life across multiple councils (IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, Multicultural).

The Leonel Bermudez / Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu Case: This Is Happening Now.
We represent Leonel Bermudez in a $10 million hazing and abuse lawsuit against the University of Houston, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, the Beta Nu housing corporation, the UH System Board of Regents, and 13 individual fraternity leaders. The facts, as reported by Click2Houston and ABC13, are a textbook case of violent, systemic hazing:

The “Pledge Fanny Pack”: Pledges were forced to carry a fanny pack 24/7 containing condoms, a sex toy, nicotine devices, and humiliating items.
Physical Torture: Sprints, bear crawls, wheelbarrow races, “save-your-brother” drills. Being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding.” Forced consumption of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting, followed by immediate sprints.
The November 3 Workout: Bermudez was forced through 100+ push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion.
Medical Catastrophe: He developed rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure. He passed brown urine, could not stand, and was hospitalized for four days with critically high creatine kinase levels. He faces ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage.
Institutional Response: Pi Kappa Phi HQ suspended the chapter on November 6, 2025. On November 14, chapter members voted to surrender their charter, shutting it down. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing.”

What This Means for You: This case proves that extreme, life-threatening hazing is occurring right now at a major Texas university. It shows the legal strategy: suing not just the students, but the national fraternity, the housing corporation, the university, and its regents. If this can happen at UH, it can happen anywhere.

Prior UH Incidents: UH has suspended chapters for hazing, including a Pi Kappa Alpha case where a pledge suffered a lacerated spleen. The university has reporting channels through the Dean of Students and UHPD.

Jurisdiction for San Felipe Families: A lawsuit would likely be filed in Harris County courts. Investigations may involve UHPD and Houston Police. Our firm’s Houston office is strategically located to handle these cases.

Texas A&M University: Corps Culture and Greek Life

For San Felipe Families: Many Aggies hail from Austin County. Texas A&M’s unique Corps of Cadets culture and powerful Greek system present specific hazing risks.

Campus Snapshot: A tradition-heavy campus with a massive Greek community and the nationally known Corps of Cadets.

Documented Hazing Lawsuits and Incidents:

Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Chemical Burns Case (2021): Two pledges alleged they were covered in substances including industrial-strength cleaner, raw eggs, and spit, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin graft surgeries. They sued for $1 million. The chapter was suspended.
Corps of Cadets “Roasted Pig” Lawsuit (2023): A cadet alleged degrading hazing, including being bound between beds in a simulated “roasted pig” position with an apple in his mouth. He sought over $1 million in damages.
Sigma Chi Rhabdomyolysis Case (2023): Allegations of extreme physical hazing leading to the life-threatening muscle condition rhabdomyolysis, similar to the UH case.

What This Means for You: Hazing at Texas A&M occurs in both fraternities and the Corps. The university handles complaints through its Student Conduct office and Corps regulations. The pattern of severe physical and chemical abuse shows a culture that can tolerate extreme violence.

Jurisdiction for San Felipe Families: Lawsuits are typically filed in Brazos County. The university is a public institution with potential sovereign immunity arguments, but gross negligence and individual liability claims can overcome these defenses.

University of Texas at Austin: Transparency and Repeated Violations

For San Felipe Families: UT Austin is a top destination. It also maintains one of the most transparent public hazing logs in the country, which ironically shows a pattern of repeated violations.

Campus Snapshot: A large Greek system with hundreds of chapters across IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, and multicultural councils.

The Public Hazing Violations Log: UT’s website publishes detailed records of hazing findings, a powerful resource for families and attorneys.

Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): New members were directed to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics. The chapter was placed on probation.
Texas Wranglers (Spirit Group): Sanctioned for forced workouts and alcohol-related hazing.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): Facing an ongoing lawsuit from an Australian exchange student who alleged assault at a party resulting in a dislocated leg, broken nose, and fractured tibia. The chapter was already under suspension for prior violations.

What This Means for You: UT’s transparency is a double-edged sword. It allows you to check an organization’s history, but it also proves the university knows certain groups are repeat offenders. This “prior notice” significantly strengthens a negligence claim against the university for failing to protect your child.

Jurisdiction for San Felipe Families: Cases are filed in Travis County courts. UTPD and Austin Police may be involved.

Southern Methodist University (SMU) and Baylor University

For San Felipe Families: These private, prestigious universities attract Texas students with strong academic and Greek traditions.

SMU Snapshot: A private university in Dallas with a prominent Greek system.

Kappa Alpha Order Incident (2017): New members reported paddling, forced drinking, and sleep deprivation. The chapter was suspended.
As a private school, SMU has fewer public reporting requirements, but civil discovery can compel the release of internal records.

Baylor University Snapshot: A private Christian university in Waco with a history of scrutiny over institutional responses to misconduct.

Baylor Baseball Hazing (2020): 14 players were suspended following a hazing investigation.
The university’s past Title IX scandals create a context where hazing claims may face intense institutional resistance.

What This Means for You: Private universities like SMU and Baylor do not have the same sovereign immunity protections as public schools, which can make them more vulnerable to civil lawsuits. However, they often have robust public relations and legal defenses. Their religious affiliation does not immunize them from negligence claims.

Jurisdiction: SMU cases in Dallas County; Baylor cases in McLennan County.

The Greek Organizations Behind the Letters: National Histories Matter

When your child is hurt by “Sigma Alpha Epsilon” or “Pi Kappa Alpha,” you are not just dealing with a group of college students. You are confronting a national brand with a deep, documented history of the exact same violent conduct. This history is your legal leverage.

Why the National Headquarters Is Almost Always Liable

National fraternities and sororities are not passive observers. They are sophisticated corporations that:

Collect dues from local chapters.
Issue charters and set policies.
Provide (or fail to provide) risk management training.
Maintain records of every incident at every chapter nationwide.

When a chapter repeats a hazing script that has killed people at other schools, the national headquarters cannot claim ignorance. Their liability stems from negligent supervision and failure to act on known, lethal patterns.

A Sample of National Patterns Directly Relevant to Texas Cases

Pi Kappa Alpha (ΠΚΑ / “Pike”):

National History: Stone Foltz death (BGSU, $10M settlement); David Bogenberger death (NIU, $14M settlement).
Texas Presence: Chapters at UH, Texas A&M, UT, SMU, Baylor.
The Pattern: “Big/Little” alcohol hazing. If your child was forced to drink a bottle of alcohol at a Pike chapter in Texas, the national HQ already knew this ritual kills.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ / “SAE”):

National History: Multiple hazing-related deaths nationwide; traumatic brain injury lawsuit at University of Alabama; chemical burns lawsuit at Texas A&M.
Texas Presence: Chapters at all five major universities.
The Pattern: Physical brutality and forced drinking. Their national tagline is “The Fraternity that Lives,” but their history is marred by deaths.

Phi Delta Theta (ΦΔΘ):

National History: Max Gruver death (LSU, leading to the Max Gruver Act).
Texas Presence: Widespread across Texas campuses.
The Pattern: “Bible study” drinking games.

Pi Kappa Phi (ΠΚΦ):

National History: Andrew Coffey death (Florida State).
Texas Presence: The chapter at UH (Beta Nu) is now shut down due to our lawsuit.
The Pattern: Alcohol poisoning during initiation events.

Kappa Alpha Order (ΚΑ):

National History: Paddling and physical abuse violations.
Texas Presence: Including the suspended SMU chapter.
The Pattern: Physical beatings disguised as tradition.

This is not a comprehensive list. Beta Theta Pi (Timothy Piazza death), Phi Gamma Delta (Danny Santulli brain damage), and Sigma Chi (multiple severe injury cases) all have similar national patterns. The critical point for San Felipe parents is this: Your child’s case is not an anomaly. It is a repeat performance. A skilled hazing attorney will subpoena the national organization’s “incident reports” to show they were on notice for years.

The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: The Data Behind the Letters

At Attorney911, we don’t just know the national stories; we maintain a detailed, data-driven map of the Greek ecosystem in Texas. This investigative engine is part of how we build unbeatable cases for families. To show you the scale and structure of what we track, here is a sample from our proprietary directory of Texas Greek organizations, built from public IRS records, university data, and metro intelligence.

Public Records Directory: Fraternities, Sororities & Greek Entities Serving Texas Families

This directory illustrates the complex network of legal entities—house corporations, alumni chapters, educational foundations—that stand behind the Greek letters your child sees on campus. Knowing these entities, their EINs, and their locations is the first step in identifying every potentially liable party and their insurance coverage.

A Sample of Texas-Registered Greek Organizations (from IRS B83 Public Filings):
Tell me more about the consequences of hazing in Texas.

KAPPA SIGMA – MU CAMMA CHAPTER INC (EIN: 133048786) | 3007 Earl Rudder Fwy S, College Station, TX 77845-6681
GAMMA PHI BETA SORORITY INC (EIN: 161675890) | 115 Wild Wick Way, The Woodlands, TX 77382-1822 | Zeta Rho House Corporation
BETA NU PI KAPPA PHI FRATERNITY HOUSING CORPORATION INC (EIN: 462267515) | 10601 Big Horn Trl, Frisco, TX 75035-6629 | (The housing corp for the UH chapter in our lawsuit)
PI KAPPA PHI DELTA OMEGA CHAPTER BUILDING CORPORATION (EIN: 371768785) | 4102 Eastshore St, Missouri City, TX 77459-1820
ALPHA SIGMA PHI FRATERNITY INC (EIN: 475370943) | 5019 Calhoun Rd, Houston, TX 77204-7005 | Theta Delta Chapter
SIGMA CHI FRATERNITY EPSILON XI CHAPTER (EIN: 746084905) | 4300 Martin Luther King Blvd, Houston, TX 77204-3067
TEXAS KAPPA SIGMA EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION INC (EIN: 741380362) | PO Box 470061, Fort Worth, TX 76147-0061
PI KAPPA ALPHA FRATERNITY (EIN: 746064445) | 1855 Highway 69 N, Nederland, TX 77627-8843 | Epsilon Kappa Chapter
CHI OMEGA FRATERNITY (EIN: 740555581) | 2711 Rio Grande St, Austin, TX 78705-4018 | Chi Omega House Corporation
HONOR SOCIETY OF PHI KAPPA PHI (EIN: 900293166) | 114 Henderson Hall 4233 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-0001 | Texas A&M University Chapter

Metro-Level Scale:
Our data tracks over 1,423 fraternity and sorority entities across 25 Texas metro areas. For example:

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metro: 510+ Greek organizations.
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land Metro: 188+ Greek organizations.
Austin-Round Rock Metro: 154+ Greek organizations.

Why This Directory Matters for Your Case:
When hazing occurs, liability doesn’t stop with the 20-year-old pledge master. It extends to:

The local chapter housing corporation (which holds insurance for the property).
The alumni board that may have approved or funded activities.
The national headquarters that collects dues and sets policy.
The educational foundation that may be used to shield assets.

We use this data to immediately identify every related entity, its registered agent, and its potential insurance policies. This comprehensive approach is why we can often uncover sources of compensation that other firms miss.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

If your family is facing this crisis, you need to understand what building a serious legal case actually entails. It is a meticulous process of investigation, evidence preservation, and strategic lawyering against well-funded opponents.

The Evidence That Wins Cases: A 2025 Checklist

Evidence disappears within days, sometimes hours. Here is what we secure immediately:

1. Digital Communications (The Most Critical Evidence):

Group Chats: GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage threads, Discord servers. We screenshot and use digital forensics to recover deleted messages.
Social Media: Instagram DMs, Snapchat stories (screenshot before they disappear), TikTok videos, Facebook posts and geotags.
Emails: Between chapter officers, with national HQ, with university advisors.

2. Photo and Video Evidence:

Injuries: Photographed from multiple angles with a scale (like a coin) over several days to show progression.
Scene of the Hazing: The house, the specific room, any props or alcohol bottles.
Video of Events: If safely recorded by anyone present.

3. Internal Organization Documents:

Pledge Manuals or “Bid Books”: Often outline forbidden activities in a way that implies they happen.
Chapter Meeting Minutes.
Financial Records: Receipts for bulk alcohol purchases or “fines” paid by pledges.

4. University Records (Obtained via Subpoena):

Prior conduct complaints against the same chapter.
Incident reports filed with campus police or the Dean of Students.
Disciplinary outcomes (probation, suspensions).
Internal emails among administrators discussing the chapter’s risks.

5. Medical and Psychological Records:

Immediate Care: ER reports, ambulance records, toxicology screens, diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis, alcohol poisoning, fractures.
Ongoing Treatment: Records from follow-up doctors, physical therapists, psychiatrists.
Psychological Evaluation: Formal diagnosis of PTSD, depression, anxiety, or other trauma-related conditions.

6. Witness Testimony:

Other pledges who were victimized.
Former members who quit over the hazing.
Roommates, RAs, or bystanders who saw changes in your child or heard details.

Categories of Damages: What Your Family May Recover

A civil lawsuit seeks to make your family whole and hold defendants accountable through compensatory damages. In wrongful death cases, surviving family members can recover for their loss.

Economic Damages (Quantifiable Financial Losses):

All Medical Expenses: Past and future, including hospital stays, surgeries, therapy, medications, and lifelong care for catastrophic injuries like brain damage.
Lost Wages & Earning Capacity: Time off work for recovery; reduced future earning potential if disabilities persist.
Educational Costs: Tuition for semesters lost, cost of transferring schools, lost scholarships.

Non-Economic Damages (The Human Cost):

Physical Pain and Suffering: From the injuries themselves.
Mental Anguish & Emotional Distress: PTSD, depression, anxiety, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life.
Disfigurement or Physical Impairment.

Wrongful Death Damages (if Applicable):

Funeral and Burial Expenses.
Loss of Financial Support your child would have provided to the family.
Loss of Companionship, Love, and Society for parents and siblings.
Mental Anguish of the surviving family.

Punitive Damages: In cases of extreme recklessness or conscious indifference (like a national fraternity ignoring a known lethal pattern), Texas law may allow punitive damages to punish the defendant and deter future conduct.

The Insurance Coverage Fight: Where Recovery Often Lies

National fraternities and universities carry liability insurance. Their insurers’ first move is often to deny coverage, claiming hazing is an “intentional act” excluded from the policy. This is where our insider experience is paramount.

Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as an insurance defense attorney at a national firm. He knows the exact tactics insurers use to deny or lowball claims. We fight these denials by arguing that even if individual acts were intentional, the negligent supervision by the national headquarters and university is a covered claim. We identify all possible policies—chapter, national, university, homeowners policies of individual members—to maximize the recovery available for your family.

Practical Guides & FAQs for San Felipe Families

For Parents: A Step-by-Step Action Plan

Warning Signs Your Child Is Being Hazed:

Unexplained injuries (bruises, burns, limping).
Extreme exhaustion, sleeping all day.
Drastic personality changes: withdrawn, anxious, depressed.
Constant, secretive phone use for group chats.
Sudden lack of money or requests for cash for unexplained “fines” or “dues.”
Fear of missing “mandatory” events, even during exams or family time.

How to Talk to Your Child:

Choose a Private, Calm Time.
Use Open-Ended Questions: “How are things going with your new fraternity/sorority?” “Is anyone making you do things you’re uncomfortable with?”
Listen Without Judgment: If they open up, your first response should be, “I believe you, and I’m here to help. Your safety is all that matters.”
Reassure Them: “You will not get in trouble for telling the truth. We will get through this together.”

In the First 48 Hours: The Critical To-Do List

Medical Care First: Go to the ER or urgent care. Tell the doctor, “This was caused by hazing,” so it’s documented.
Preserve Digital Evidence: With your child’s permission, help them screenshot EVERY relevant group chat, DM, and social media post. Back up to a cloud drive.
Document Physically: Take photos of injuries. Write down a timeline of everything they remember (who, what, when, where).
Secure Physical Evidence: Put any damaged clothing, paddles, or receipts in a safe place.
Contact an Attorney: Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911. Do not wait.

For Students/Victims: Your Rights and Safety

Is This Hazing? Ask Yourself:

Am I being forced or pressured?
Would I do this if there were no social consequences?
Is it dangerous, degrading, or illegal?
Am I being told to keep it a secret?
If you answered yes, it is hazing.

How to Exit Safely:

Your safety is paramount. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
You have the legal right to quit. Send a simple email or text to the chapter president: “I am resigning my membership/pledgeship, effective immediately.”
Do NOT attend “one last meeting.” That is where pressure and retaliation happen.
Tell a trusted adult (parent, RA, counselor) what is happening.
If you fear retaliation, report that to campus police and the Dean of Students. Retaliation is a separate crime.

Critical Mistakes That Can Destroy Your Case

Deleting Evidence: Messages may be embarrassing, but they are your proof. Deleting them looks like a cover-up and destroys your case.
Confronting the Fraternity/Sorority Directly: This prompts them to lawyer up, destroy evidence, and coach their story.
Signing University “Resolution” Papers: Universities may offer a quick, confidential “resolution.” These almost always waive your right to sue for far less than your case is worth. Do not sign anything without an attorney.
Posting on Social Media: Defense lawyers scour victims’ social media for any inconsistency. Let your attorney control the narrative.
Waiting for the University to “Handle It”: Internal processes are designed to protect the institution, not you. Evidence disappears, witnesses graduate, and the statute of limitations ticks away.

Frequently Asked Questions

“Can we sue the university in Texas?”
Yes. While public universities have some sovereign immunity, you can sue for gross negligence, Title IX violations, or sue individual employees. Private universities like SMU and Baylor can be sued directly. The specific strategy depends on the facts.

“Is hazing a felony in Texas?”
Yes, if it causes serious bodily injury or death, it is a state jail felony. It can also be a misdemeanor.

“What if my child ‘agreed’ to it?”
Under Texas Education Code § 37.155, consent is not a defense to hazing. The law recognizes that consent under peer pressure is not valid.

“How long do we have to file a lawsuit?”
Generally, two years from the date of injury or death in Texas. However, with evidence destruction and cover-ups, the clock can be complex. Do not wait. Call us immediately to protect your rights.

“Will this be public? Will my child’s name be in the news?”
Most hazing cases settle confidentially before trial. We always prioritize your family’s privacy and can request sealed court records. Our goal is to secure justice for you without unnecessary public exposure.

Why Attorney911 for Your Texas Hazing Case

When your family faces a hazing crisis, you need more than a general personal injury lawyer. You need attorneys who understand how powerful institutions fight back—and how to win anyway. From our Houston office, we serve families throughout Texas, including San Felipe, Austin County, and the surrounding region.

Our Unique Qualifications for Hazing Litigation

1. We Are Leading a Major Texas Hazing Case Right Now.
We represent Leonel Bermudez in the $10 million lawsuit against UH and Pi Kappa Phi. We are not theorizing about hazing litigation; we are actively in the fight, taking depositions, fighting insurance companies, and setting precedents. This real-time experience directly benefits our clients.

2. Insurance Insider Advantage.
Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as an insurance defense attorney at a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurance companies value claims, deploy delay tactics, and argue for exclusions. We know their playbook because we used to run it. This insider knowledge is invaluable in maximizing your recovery.

3. Experience Against Billion-Dollar Institutions.
Managing attorney Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas lawyers involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation, taking on one of the world’s largest corporations. National fraternities and universities have deep pockets and aggressive defense firms. We are not intimidated. We’ve faced this level of opponent before and we know how to win.

4. Multi-Million Dollar Wrongful Death & Catastrophic Injury Results.
We have a proven track record of securing significant settlements and verdicts in complex cases involving life-altering injuries and wrongful death. We work with economists, life-care planners, and medical experts to build the full value of your case from day one.

5. Criminal + Civil Hazing Expertise.
Ralph Manginello is a member of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA), an elite criminal defense credential. We understand how criminal hazing charges interact with civil litigation. We can advise on all aspects of the case, whether you are a victim, a witness, or a former member with concerns about exposure.

6. Investigative Depth and Resources.
We have a network of experts—digital forensics specialists to recover deleted messages, medical experts to explain lifelong injuries, Greek life culture experts, and psychologists. We investigate not just the incident, but the pattern, the institutional knowledge, and the cover-up.

7. Empathy and Victim Advocacy.
We know this is one of the hardest things a family can face. Our job is to carry the legal burden so you can focus on healing. We fight for answers, accountability, and a result that helps prevent this from happening to another family in San Felipe or anywhere else.

Your Path Forward Starts with a Confidential Conversation

If you or your child experienced hazing at any Texas campus, we want to hear from you. Families in San Felipe and throughout Austin County have the right to answers and accountability.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm for a confidential, no-obligation consultation.

In your free consultation, we will:

Listen to your story without judgment.
Review any evidence you have (photos, texts, medical records).
Explain your legal options clearly: criminal report, civil lawsuit, both, or neither.
Discuss realistic timelines and what to expect.
Answer your questions about costs. We work on a contingency fee basis—you pay no attorney fees unless we win your case.
Provide you with space and time to decide. There is no pressure to hire us on the spot.
Treat everything you tell us with the strictest confidence.

Contact Attorney911 Today

Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct: (713) 528-9070
Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com

Hablamos Español: Contact Mr. Lupe Peña at lupe@atty911.com for consultation in Spanish. Servicios legales en español disponibles.

Whether you’re in San Felipe or anywhere across Texas, if hazing has impacted your family, you don’t have to face this alone. The institutions involved have lawyers. You should too. Call us today.

Legal Disclaimer

This article is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and The Manginello Law Firm, PLLD.

Hazing laws, university policies, and legal precedents can change. The information in this guide is current as of late 2025 but may not reflect the most recent developments. Every hazing case is unique, and outcomes depend on the specific facts, evidence, applicable law, and many other factors.

If you or your child has been affected by hazing, we strongly encourage you to consult with a qualified Texas attorney who can review your specific situation, explain your legal rights, and advise you on the best course of action for your family.

The Manginello Law Firm, PLLD / Attorney911
Houston, Texas
Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com