Hazing in Texas: A Comprehensive Legal Guide for Cranfills Gap Families

When a Call Home Isn’t About Grades: The Reality Facing Cranfills Gap Families

It starts with a text message that doesn’t sound quite right. A phone call where your student seems exhausted beyond normal college stress. Maybe you notice unexplained injuries during a visit home to our quiet Bosque County community. Or perhaps you read about what happened at the University of Houston and realize with chilling clarity that the dangerous rituals you thought were relics of the past are happening right now at Texas campuses where Cranfills Gap students study.

We understand the particular concerns of families in our close-knit Central Texas community. When you’ve raised children in Cranfills Gap—where everyone knows each other and safety feels like a given—the realization that your student might be facing systematic abuse at a Texas university hits with special force. The physical distance between our peaceful community and major campuses like Texas A&M, Baylor, or the University of Texas can feel even greater when crisis strikes.

Right now, we’re fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in Texas history, and it’s happening closer to home than many Cranfills Gap families realize. In late 2025, we filed a $10 million lawsuit on behalf of Leonel Bermudez against the University of Houston and the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity’s Beta Nu chapter. The details are harrowing: forced “pledge fanny packs” containing humiliating items, extreme physical hazing including being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” and workouts so severe they caused rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure. Bermudez was hospitalized for four days, passing brown urine as his muscles broke down. The chapter has been shut down, but the damage to this young man—and the systemic failure that allowed it—demands accountability.

This isn’t an isolated incident from some distant state. This is happening at Texas universities where Cranfills Gap students enroll. This comprehensive guide exists because families in our community deserve to understand what hazing really looks like in 2025, how Texas law protects (or fails to protect) their children, and what legal options exist when universities and fraternities violate their duty of care.

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 immediate consultation

Hazing in 2025: What Cranfills Gap Parents Need to Recognize

The hazing you might remember from movies or older siblings’ stories has evolved. Today’s hazing often wears digital disguises and psychological manipulation that can be harder for parents to recognize until it’s too late.

The Modern Definition That Matters

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. For Cranfills Gap families, the most important thing to understand is this: “I agreed to it” does not automatically make it safe or legal when there is peer pressure and power imbalance. Texas law explicitly states that consent is not a defense to hazing.

Main Categories of Hazing Today

Alcohol and Substance Hazing
This remains the most deadly form. It’s not just “college drinking” – it’s systematic coercion. Examples include forced chugging challenges, “lineups” where pledges must drink rapidly, “Big/Little” nights where handles of liquor are given as “gifts,” and games like “Bible study” where wrong answers mean forced drinking. In the Bermudez case at UH, pledges were forced to consume milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting, then immediately forced to do sprints.

Physical Hazing
Beyond traditional paddling, today’s physical hazing often disguises itself as “conditioning” or “team building.” This includes extreme calisthenics (“smokings” with hundreds of push-ups), sleep deprivation for days, food/water restriction, and exposure to dangerous environments. The UH Pi Kappa Phi case involved cold-weather exposure in underwear, lying in vomit-soaked grass, and workouts so severe they caused kidney failure.

Sexualized and Humiliating Hazing
This includes forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, degrading costumes, and acts with racial or sexist overtones. The “pledge fanny pack” in the UH case contained condoms and sex toys as part of systematic humiliation.

Psychological Hazing
Verbal abuse, threats, isolation, manipulation, forced confessions, and public shaming. This is often the most damaging long-term, leading to PTSD, depression, and anxiety that can persist long after physical injuries heal.

Digital/Online Hazing
This is where hazing has evolved most dramatically. Group chat dares, “challenges” posted on Instagram or TikTok, pressure to create compromising content, and 24/7 availability demands through apps like GroupMe. Digital evidence often becomes the most critical proof in modern hazing cases.

Where Hazing Happens Beyond the Stereotypes

While fraternities receive most attention, Cranfills Gap parents should know hazing occurs in:

Sororities (despite common misconceptions)
Corps of Cadets and ROTC programs
Athletic teams (football, basketball, baseball, cheer)
Marching bands and performance groups
Spirit squads and tradition clubs
Some academic and service organizations

The common thread isn’t the type of organization but the combination of social status, tradition, and secrecy that keeps these practices alive even when everyone “knows” hazing is illegal.

Texas Law & Liability Framework: What Cranfills Gap Families Must Understand

Texas Hazing Law Basics

Under Texas Education Code Chapter 37, hazing is broadly defined as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, on or off campus, directed against a student that endangers mental or physical health for purposes of pledging, initiation, affiliation, holding office, or maintaining membership.

For Cranfills Gap families, several key provisions matter most:

Criminal Penalties (Section 37.152)

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

Organizational Liability (Section 37.153)
Fraternities, sororities, and other organizations can be prosecuted if they authorized or encouraged hazing OR if officers knew about it and failed to report it. Organizations face fines up to $10,000 per violation and universities can revoke recognition.

Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting (Section 37.154)
Those who report hazing in good faith to universities or law enforcement are immune from civil or criminal liability. This is crucial for encouraging bystanders to call for help.

Consent Not a Defense (Section 37.155)
This is perhaps the most important provision for families: Texas law explicitly states that the victim’s consent is not a defense to hazing charges. This recognizes the power imbalance and coercion inherent in these situations.

Criminal vs Civil Cases: Two Paths to Accountability

Criminal Cases

Brought by the state (county or district attorney)
Aim: Punishment (jail, fines, probation)
Typical charges: Hazing, furnishing alcohol to minors, assault, battery, manslaughter in fatal cases
Burden of proof: Beyond a reasonable doubt

Civil Cases

Brought by victims or surviving families
Aim: Monetary compensation and accountability
Typical claims: Negligence, gross negligence, wrongful death, negligent supervision, emotional distress
Burden of proof: Preponderance of the evidence (more likely than not)

These cases can run simultaneously, and a criminal conviction is not required to pursue civil action. In fact, civil discovery often uncovers evidence that strengthens criminal cases.

Federal Laws Overlay Texas Statutes

Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024)
This federal law requires colleges receiving federal aid to report hazing incidents more transparently, strengthen prevention programs, and maintain public hazing data by 2026. This will eventually make patterns clearer for Cranfills Gap families evaluating campus safety.

Title IX & Clery Act
When hazing involves sexual harassment, assault, or gender-based hostility, Title IX obligations trigger additional reporting and investigation requirements. The Clery Act mandates crime reporting that often overlaps with hazing incidents involving assaults or alcohol crimes.

Who Can Be Liable in a Civil Hazing Lawsuit

Individual Students
Those who planned, supplied alcohol, carried out acts, or helped cover them up. In the UH case, 13 individual fraternity leaders were named alongside the organizations.

Local Chapter/Organization
The fraternity/sorority or club itself if it’s a legal entity. Chapter officers and “pledge educators” often bear particular responsibility.

National Fraternity/Sorority
Headquarters that set policies, receive dues, and supervise chapters. Liability hinges on what they knew or should have known from prior incidents. Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters is a defendant in the Bermudez case precisely because of this supervisory role.

University or Governing Board
Schools may be liable under negligence, premises liability, or civil rights theories. Key questions include prior warnings, policy enforcement, and deliberate indifference. The University of Houston and UH System Board of Regents are defendants in the Bermudez lawsuit.

Third Parties
Landlords of event spaces, bars or alcohol providers (under dram shop laws), security companies, or event organizers.

National Hazing Case Patterns: Lessons for Cranfills Gap Families

Alcohol Poisoning & Death Pattern

Timothy Piazza – Penn State, Beta Theta Pi (2017)
A bid-acceptance event with forced drinking led to fatal falls captured on chapter security cameras. Help was delayed for hours. This case resulted in dozens of criminal charges and Pennsylvania’s Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law. For Cranfills Gap families, the lesson is clear: delayed medical care dramatically increases liability and tragedy.

Max Gruver – LSU, Phi Delta Theta (2017)
A “Bible study” drinking game where wrong answers meant forced drinking resulted in a 0.495% BAC and death. Louisiana responded with the Max Gruver Act making hazing a felony. This shows how legislative change often follows public outrage backed by clear evidence.

Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State University, Pi Kappa Alpha (2021)
Forced to drink nearly a bottle of whiskey during a pledge event, Foltz died from alcohol poisoning. The family reached a $10 million settlement ($7M from Pi Kappa Alpha national, ~$3M from BGSU). For Cranfills Gap families considering legal action, this demonstrates that universities and nationals can both be held financially accountable.

Physical & Ritualized Hazing Pattern

Chun “Michael” Deng – Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi (2013)
A blindfolded “glass ceiling” ritual at a retreat caused fatal head injuries, with delayed help. Multiple members were convicted and the national fraternity was banned from Pennsylvania for 10 years. This proves that off-campus locations don’t eliminate liability—in fact, they’re often chosen specifically to avoid detection.

Athletic Program Hazing & Abuse

Northwestern University Football (2023–2025)
Former players alleged sexualized, racist hazing within the football program, resulting in multiple lawsuits and the head coach’s firing. This demonstrates that hazing isn’t limited to Greek life—big-money athletic programs can harbor systemic abuse that universities may try to minimize.

What These Cases Mean for Cranfills Gap Families

The common threads across these cases—forced drinking, humiliation, violence, delayed medical care, cover-ups—are exactly what we see in Texas cases. Reforms and multi-million-dollar settlements typically follow only after tragedy and litigation. Cranfills Gap families facing hazing at Texas universities are operating in a landscape shaped by these hard-earned national lessons.

Texas Focus: Where Cranfills Gap Students Study

Understanding Our Community’s Educational Pathways

Cranfills Gap families typically send students to a mix of institutions:

Local/Regional Campuses: Hill College, McLennan Community College, Texas State Technical College
Major State Universities: Texas A&M University, University of Texas at Austin, Baylor University
Other Texas Schools: University of Houston, Texas Tech, Texas State University
Private Institutions: Southern Methodist University, other private colleges

The distance from Cranfills Gap to these campuses doesn’t eliminate risk—in fact, it can make detection and parental intervention more challenging. That’s why understanding each campus’s specific hazing landscape is crucial.

Public Records: The Greek Ecosystem Serving Cranfills Gap Families

At Attorney911, we maintain comprehensive data on Texas Greek organizations because families deserve to know who stands behind the letters. Here’s a snapshot of the organizations operating in our region:

Central Texas Greek Organizations in IRS Records:

Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – Texas State University Chapter, EIN 463831593, Austin, TX 78723 (IRS B83 filing)
Beta Upsilon Chi Fraternity, EIN 742911848, Fort Worth, TX 76244 (IRS B83 filing)
Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc, EIN 741380362, Fort Worth, TX 76147 (IRS B83 filing)
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority – Beta Sigma Chapter, Houston, TX (Cause IQ metro listing)
Zeta Beta Tau – Texas Lambda Chapter, Austin, TX (Cause IQ metro listing)
Delta Tau Delta Fraternity – Gamma Iota Chapter, Austin, TX (Cause IQ metro listing)

Metro-Level Context:

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metro: 510 Greek organizations total
Austin-Round Rock Metro: 154 Greek organizations total
Waco Metro (serving Baylor): 27 Greek organizations total
College Station-Bryan Metro (serving Texas A&M): 42 Greek organizations total

These aren’t just social clubs—they’re legal entities with insurance coverage, national oversight structures, and in many cases, long histories of hazing incidents that create foreseeable risks.

University of Houston: Closer Than Many Cranfills Gap Families Realize

Campus & Culture Snapshot
UH’s large urban campus hosts active Greek life with multiple fraternities and sororities. The Pi Kappa Phi case demonstrates that serious hazing happens at commuter-friendly universities too.

Official Hazing Policy & Reporting
UH prohibits hazing on and off campus, specifically banning forced consumption, sleep deprivation, physical mistreatment, and mental distress during initiation. Reporting channels exist through the Dean of Students and campus police.

Documented Incident & Response – The Bermudez Case
In late 2025, Pi Kappa Phi’s Beta Nu chapter engaged in systematic hazing culminating in rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure requiring hospitalization. The chapter was suspended November 6, 2025, and members voted to surrender their charter November 14, 2025. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing” and promised disciplinary action and cooperation with law enforcement. This active case shows that even when universities respond, serious injuries still occur.

How a UH Hazing Case Might Proceed for Cranfills Gap Families
Cases may involve UHPD and/or Houston Police depending on location. Civil suits typically file in Harris County courts. Potential defendants include individual students, the chapter, Pi Kappa Phi national (as in the Bermudez case), UH, and property owners. Despite Houston’s distance from Cranfills Gap, our firm handles these cases regularly, understanding the specific jurisdiction and courts involved.

What UH Students & Cranfills Gap Parents Should Do

Report immediately to Dean of Students and UHPD
Document everything before UH’s internal process begins
Understand that UH’s response, while important, doesn’t preclude civil action
Contact counsel experienced in Houston-based hazing cases who understand UH’s specific dynamics

Texas A&M University: A Common Destination for Cranfills Gap Students

Campus & Culture Snapshot
Texas A&M’s Corps of Cadets culture and strong Greek life create multiple environments where hazing traditions can persist despite official policies.

Documented Incidents & Responses
Sigma Alpha Epsilon Chemical Burns Case (2021): Pledges allegedly had industrial-strength cleaner poured on them, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin graft surgeries. The fraternity was suspended for two years and faced a $1 million lawsuit.

Corps of Cadets Lawsuit (2023): A cadet alleged degrading hazing including simulated sexual acts and being bound between beds in a “roasted pig” position. The case sought over $1 million, with A&M stating it handled the matter under its rules.

Hazing Policy & Reporting
A&M addresses hazing through Student Conduct and Corps regulations, but as these cases show, policies don’t always prevent serious incidents.

How an A&M Hazing Case Might Affect Cranfills Gap Families
Brazos County courts typically handle these cases. The university’s sovereign immunity as a public institution presents specific legal challenges that require experienced navigation. Given A&M’s popularity with Central Texas students, Cranfills Gap families should understand these dynamics before crisis strikes.

University of Texas at Austin: Transparency with Persistent Problems

Campus & Culture Snapshot
UT’s public hazing violations page represents uncommon transparency, but recurring violations show ongoing issues despite this openness.

Documented Incidents from Public Records

Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): New members directed to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics, resulting in probation and mandatory hazing-prevention education
Multiple organizations: Sanctions for forced workouts, alcohol-related hazing, punishment-based practices

Sigma Alpha Epsilon Assault Case (January 2024): An Australian exchange student alleged assault resulting in dislocated leg, broken ligaments, fractured tibia, and broken nose. The student sued for over $1 million, noting the chapter was already under suspension for prior violations.

How UT Cases Proceed
Cases typically involve UTPD and Austin PD. UT’s public violation records can significantly strengthen civil suits by showing patterns and institutional knowledge. For Cranfills Gap families, this transparency is valuable but doesn’t eliminate risk.

Baylor University: Religious Identity and Recurring Scrutiny

Campus & Culture Snapshot
Baylor’s religious identity and history of athletic scandals create a complex environment where hazing allegations intersect with broader institutional accountability questions.

Documented Incident
Baylor Baseball Hazing (2020): 14 players suspended following a hazing investigation, with staggered suspensions affecting the early season. This demonstrates that hazing persists even in monitored athletic programs.

Policy vs. Practice Challenges
Baylor’s “zero tolerance” policies exist alongside recurring misconduct, highlighting the gap between official stance and on-ground reality that Cranfills Gap families should understand.

Southern Methodist University: Private School Particulars

Campus & Culture Snapshot
SMU’s affluent private campus hosts strong Greek life with particular social pressures that can exacerbate hazing dynamics.

Documented Incident
Kappa Alpha Order Incident (2017): New members reportedly paddled, forced to drink, and deprived of sleep, resulting in chapter suspension and recruitment restrictions until 2021.

Private University Considerations
SMU’s private status affects transparency—civil discovery often reveals what internal processes don’t make public. For Cranfills Gap families, this means initial reports may not tell the full story.

Fraternities & Sororities: National Patterns That Reach Cranfills Gap

Why National Histories Matter to Our Community

The national organizations present at Texas campuses aren’t isolated entities—they’re part of networks with documented hazing histories across the country. When a chapter at UT or Texas A&M repeats patterns seen at other universities, that demonstrates foreseeability—a key legal concept meaning the national organization knew or should have known the risks.

Organization-Specific Patterns Cranfills Gap Families Should Recognize

Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike)

National Pattern: Multiple alcohol poisoning deaths including Stone Foltz (BGSU, 2021) and David Bogenberger (NIU, 2012)
Texas Presence: Active at UT, Texas A&M, Baylor, SMU
Legal Significance: Their national headquarters paid $7 million in the Foltz settlement, showing organizational liability

Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE)

National Pattern: Multiple hazing deaths leading to 2014 pledge process elimination
Texas Cases: Chemical burns at Texas A&M (2021), assault at UT (2024)
Legal Significance: Pattern evidence helps prove national knowledge of risks

Pi Kappa Phi

National Pattern: Andrew Coffey alcohol poisoning death (FSU, 2017)
Active Texas Case: Bermudez kidney failure case at UH (2025)
Legal Significance: Shows how the same organization repeats dangerous patterns

Phi Delta Theta

National Pattern: Max Gruver alcohol poisoning death (LSU, 2017)
Legal Significance: Resulted in Louisiana’s felony hazing statute

How Fraternity Nationals Fight Liability—and How We Counter It

National organizations typically employ several defenses that Cranfills Gap families should understand:

“We Didn’t Know” Defense
Nationals claim ignorance of chapter activities. We counter with:

Subpoenaed records showing prior complaints
Pattern evidence from other chapters
Communications between nationals and chapters

“Rogue Chapter” Argument
Claiming the chapter violated policies. We counter by showing:

Inadequate policy enforcement
Prior violations with minimal consequences
Continued financial relationship despite known issues

Insurance Coverage Disputes
Insurers often argue hazing is excluded as “intentional.” We navigate this through:

Multiple policy identification
Arguments distinguishing organizational negligence from individual intent
Bad faith claims when insurers wrongfully deny coverage

Building a Hazing Case: What Cranfills Gap Families Can Expect

Evidence: The Foundation of Accountability

Digital Communications
GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord, and fraternity-specific apps often contain the most damning evidence. In the UH case, group chats likely documented the “pledge fanny pack” rules and workout schedules. We work with digital forensics experts to recover deleted messages when necessary.

Photos & Videos
Content filmed by members during events often surfaces in civil discovery, even if initially deleted. Security footage from houses and venues can also establish timelines and participation.

Internal Organization Documents
Pledge manuals, initiation scripts, and officer communications often reveal systematic planning rather than spontaneous “horseplay.”

University Records
Prior conduct files, probation records, and incident reports obtained through discovery or public records requests show patterns universities knew about.

Medical & Psychological Records
Beyond immediate injury documentation, psychological evaluations establishing PTSD, depression, or anxiety are crucial for non-economic damages.

Damages: Understanding What Can Be Recovered

Economic Damages

Medical bills (ER, hospitalization, surgery, ongoing treatment)
Future medical needs (therapy, medications, long-term care)
Lost educational opportunities (withdrawn semesters, lost scholarships)
Diminished earning capacity (for permanent injuries)

Non-Economic Damages

Physical pain and suffering
Emotional distress, trauma, humiliation
Loss of enjoyment of life
Damage to relationships and reputation

Wrongful Death Damages (for families)

Funeral and burial costs
Loss of companionship and support
Emotional harm to parents and siblings
Lost financial contribution over expected lifetime

Punitive Damages
In cases of particularly reckless or malicious conduct, courts may award punitive damages to punish defendants and deter future behavior. Texas has caps on these damages except in certain intentional tort cases.

The Role of Different Defendants and Insurance

Universities and national fraternities typically have insurance policies covering certain liabilities. However, insurers often argue hazing is excluded as “intentional conduct.” Our experience as former insurance defense attorneys (Mr. Lupe Peña spent years at a national defense firm) gives us unique insight into these tactics and how to counter them.

We identify all potential coverage sources—individual homeowners policies, chapter policies, national organization policies, university umbrella coverage—and navigate complex exclusion arguments. When insurers wrongfully deny coverage, we pursue bad faith claims for additional damages.

Practical Guides & FAQs for Cranfills Gap Families

For Parents: Warning Signs and Action Steps

Warning Signs Your Child May Be Being Hazed

Unexplained injuries with inconsistent “accident” stories
Extreme exhaustion beyond normal academic stress
Sudden personality changes: anxiety, withdrawal, irritability
Constant secretive phone use for group chat monitoring
Financial requests without clear explanation (forced purchases, “fines”)
Academic decline from missing classes for “mandatory” events

How to Talk to Your Child

Ask open questions: “How are things with your fraternity/sorority really going?”
Listen without immediate judgment to encourage honesty
Emphasize safety over social status
Assure them you’ll support them regardless of their decision to continue

If Your Child Is Hurt

Prioritize medical care immediately
Document everything: photos of injuries, screenshots of messages, written timelines
Save physical evidence (clothing, objects, receipts)
Do not let them delete messages or “clean up” evidence

Dealing with the University
besides these streams headquarters

Document every communication
Ask specifically about prior incidents involving the same organization
Request copies of all policies and procedures
Remember: university processes aren’t substitutes for legal advice

For Students: Recognizing and Responding to Hazing

Is This Hazing or Just Tradition?
If you feel unsafe, humiliated, or coerced; if activities are hidden from outsiders; if “everyone before you did it”—it’s likely hazing. Texas law doesn’t care about tradition when health and safety are endangered.

Exiting Safely

Tell someone outside the organization first (parent, RA, friend)
Send written resignation to chapter leadership
Do not attend “one last meeting” where pressure or retaliation might occur
If threatened, report immediately to campus police and Dean of Students

Protecting Yourself from Retaliation

Document any threats or harassment
File formal complaints with the university
In Texas, harassment and stalking are crimes—protective orders are available

Critical Mistakes That Can Destroy Your Case

1. Deleting Evidence
What seems like protecting privacy looks like obstruction of justice. Preserve everything immediately.

2. Confronting the Organization Directly
This triggers evidence destruction and witness coaching. Let your attorney handle communications.

3. Signing University “Resolution” Forms
These often waive legal rights for minimal compensation. Never sign without attorney review.

4. Posting on Social Media
Defense attorneys monitor everything. Inconsistencies hurt credibility and can waive privileges.

5. Waiting for University Investigations
Evidence disappears, witnesses graduate, statutes of limitations run. Act quickly with legal counsel.

6. Talking to Insurance Adjusters Alone
Recorded statements are used against you. Politely decline and refer them to your attorney.

Frequently Asked Questions from Cranfills Gap Families

“Can we sue a university for hazing in Texas?”
Yes. Public universities have sovereign immunity limitations, but exceptions exist for gross negligence, Title IX violations, and individual capacity suits. Private universities have fewer immunity protections. Every case requires specific analysis—call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 to discuss your situation.

“Is hazing a felony in Texas?”
It can be. Simple hazing is a Class B misdemeanor, but hazing causing serious bodily injury or death is a state jail felony. Individual officers can also face charges for failing to report hazing.

“What if my child ‘agreed’ to the initiation?”
Texas Education Code § 37.155 explicitly states consent is not a defense to hazing. Courts recognize that “consent” under peer pressure isn’t voluntary.

“How long do we have to file a lawsuit?”
Generally 2 years from injury or death, but the discovery rule may extend this if harm wasn’t immediately known. In cover-up cases, the statute may be paused. Time is critical—call us immediately.

“What if it happened off-campus?”
Location doesn’t eliminate liability. Universities and nationals can still be liable based on sponsorship, control, and foreseeability. Many major cases occurred off-campus.

“Will my child’s name be public?”
Most cases settle confidentially before trial. We prioritize privacy while pursuing accountability.

Why Cranfills Gap Families Choose Attorney911 for Hazing Cases

Our Unique Qualifications for Texas Hazing Litigation

Insurance Insider Advantage
Mr. Lupe Peña spent years as an insurance defense attorney at a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurance companies value (and undervalue) claims, their delay tactics, coverage arguments, and settlement strategies. We know their playbook because we used to run it.

Complex Institutional Litigation Experience
Our involvement in the BP Texas City explosion litigation—one of the few Texas firms selected—proves our capability against massive institutional defendants. We’ve faced billion-dollar corporations and won. National fraternities and universities with unlimited legal budgets don’t intimidate us.

Multi-Million Dollar Results
We have recovered millions in wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases. We work with economists to value lifetime care needs and lost earning capacity. We don’t settle cheap—we build cases that force real accountability.

Criminal + Civil Hazing Expertise
Ralph Manginello’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) gives us unique insight into how criminal hazing charges interact with civil litigation. We can advise witnesses and former members with dual exposure.

Investigative Depth
Our network includes medical experts, digital forensics specialists, economists, and psychologists. We know how to obtain hidden evidence: deleted group chats, chapter records, university files. We investigate like your child’s life depends on it—because it does.

Serving Cranfills Gap and All of Texas

From our Houston office, we serve families throughout Texas, including Cranfills Gap and surrounding Bosque County communities. We understand that hazing at Texas universities affects families in our region who’ve trusted these institutions with their children’s safety and education.

Our work on the Leonel Bermudez case against UH and Pi Kappa Phi shows we’re not just talking about hazing litigation—we’re actively fighting one of Texas’s most serious current cases. We know firsthand how universities and national fraternities respond when confronted with their failures.

Your Next Step: Confidential Consultation

What to Expect When You Call 1-888-ATTY-911

Your Free, No-Obligation Consultation
We’ll listen to your story without judgment, review any evidence you have, explain your legal options clearly, discuss realistic timelines, answer questions about costs (we work on contingency—no fee unless we win), and give you space to decide without pressure.

Spanish-Language Services Available
Hablamos Español. Contact Mr. Lupe Peña at lupe@atty911.com for consultation in Spanish.

Immediate Response for Emergencies
We’re the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ for a reason. If your child is in crisis, call us day or night.

Contact Information

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 (Ralph Manginello), lupe@atty911.com (Lupe Peña)

To Cranfills Gap Families

Whether your student attends a local college or a major university hours from home, if hazing has impacted your family, you don’t have to face this alone. The patterns we see in national cases, the failures evident in the UH Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit, and the systemic issues at campuses across Texas demand experienced, determined legal representation.

We’ve helped Texas families navigate these waters before. We’re fighting these battles right now. Let us help you understand your options, protect your rights, and pursue the accountability that can prevent other Cranfills Gap families from experiencing similar pain.

Call Attorney911 today at 1-888-ATTY-911. Your consultation is confidential, and your first step toward answers begins now.

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, PLLC.

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, PLLC / Attorney911
Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, Texas
Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288c-9911)
Direct: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com