The Ultimate Guide to Hazing Litigation for Stafford, Texas Families: Understanding Your Rights, the Law, and How to Fight Back

If you are a parent in Stafford, Texas, the nightmare scenario is all too real: your child, eager to find their place at a Texas university, is swept into a world of dangerous traditions. What begins as camaraderie and belonging twists into something darker—forced drinking, sleepless nights, extreme physical punishment, and public humiliation, all hidden behind closed doors and secret group chats. The reality is that hazing is not a relic of the past; it is a present and dangerous crisis on our college campuses.

Right now, our firm is fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in the country, right here in Harris County. We represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who nearly lost his life after a brutal pledging period with the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter. The lawsuit alleges a systematic campaign of abuse: from a degrading “pledge fanny pack” filled with humiliating items to forced overconsumption of food and extreme workouts that led to rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure. His urine turned brown, he was hospitalized for four days, and he faces the ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage. This is not an isolated incident; it is proof of the severe danger facing students at universities across Texas where Stafford families send their children.

This comprehensive guide is for you—the parents and families in Stafford, Fort Bend County, and across the Greater Houston area. We will break down what modern hazing truly looks like, explain the Texas and federal laws designed to protect your child, expose the national patterns of abuse within Greek organizations, and provide a detailed, actionable path toward accountability and recovery. If your child has been hurt, you are not alone, and you have powerful legal options.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES

• If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW: Call 911 for medical emergencies. Then call us at 1-888-ATTY-911.
• In the first 48 hours: Get medical attention. Preserve evidence—screenshot all group chats (GroupMe, iMessage, WhatsApp), photograph injuries, save any physical objects. Write down everything they tell you. Do NOT confront the organization, sign anything from the university, or let your child delete messages.
• Contact our experienced hazing attorneys: Evidence disappears quickly. We can help secure it and protect your child’s rights. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, immediate, and confidential consultation.

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like in Texas

Hazing has evolved far beyond stereotypical “pranks.” It is a calculated system of control, degradation, and risk that exploits the desire to belong. For Stafford families, understanding these modern tactics is the first step in recognizing if your child is in danger.

Hazing is defined under Texas law as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of joining or maintaining membership in a group. Crucially, a victim’s “consent” is not a legal defense.

Modern hazing typically falls into three escalating categories:

1. Subtle Hazing: Establishing power imbalance. This includes mandatory servitude (24/7 errands, cleaning, being on call), social isolation from non-members, sleep interruption, being forced to carry humiliating items (like the “pledge fanny pack” in the UH case), and constant digital monitoring via group chats.
2. Harassment Hazing: Causing emotional or physical discomfort. This involves verbal abuse, sleep deprivation, forced consumption of unpleasant substances (spoiled food, hot sauce, excessive milk), “smokings” or extreme calisthenics, and public humiliation.
3. Violent Hazing: Activities with high potential for severe injury or death. This includes forced alcohol consumption (like the “Big/Little” nights that have killed pledges), physical beatings or paddling, sexualized acts, kidnapping/restraint, exposure to extreme elements, and dangerous “rituals.”

In 2025, digital hazing is rampant. Pledges are subjected to 24/7 demands through GroupMe, required to share their live location, and forced to post embarrassing content on social media. The hazing captured in the UH Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit—including simulated waterboarding, hog-tying, and workouts leading to kidney failure—shows how quickly harassment escalates to life-threatening violence.

Texas Law & Liability: A Legal Framework for Stafford Families

Texas has a robust legal framework to combat hazing, but navigating it requires expertise. As a parent in Stafford, your child may be attending a university in a different county (like Harris County with UH) or even a different metro area. Understanding where jurisdiction lies and how the laws work is critical.

The Texas Hazing Statute (Education Code Chapter 37)

The Texas Education Code makes hazing a criminal offense. Key provisions every Stafford parent should know:

• Definition (§37.151): Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, on or off campus, that endangers a student’s physical or mental health for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership.
• Criminal Penalties (§37.152):
  • Class B Misdemeanor: Basic hazing (up to 180 days jail, $2,000 fine).
  • Class A Misdemeanor: Hazing that causes injury requiring medical attention.
  • State Jail Felony: Hazing that causes serious bodily injury or death (as in the UH case with rhabdomyolysis).
  • It is also a crime for an officer or member to fail to report hazing they are aware of.
• Consent is NOT a Defense (§37.155): Even if your child “went along with it,” the law recognizes the power imbalance and coercion inherent in hazing. This is a powerful tool for victims.
• Organizational Liability (§37.153): The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 per violation.

Civil Liability vs. Criminal Charges

It is vital to understand the two parallel legal paths:

• Criminal Case: Brought by the state (DA or County Attorney) to punish the offenders with jail, fines, or probation. The UH Pi Kappa Phi case could involve criminal charges from the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
• Civil Lawsuit: Brought by the victim and their family to recover compensation for damages (medical bills, pain and suffering, lost future earnings) and to hold all responsible parties accountable. Our lawsuit on behalf of Leonel Bermudez is a civil action seeking over $10 million in damages.

You can pursue a civil case regardless of whether criminal charges are filed. The burden of proof is different (“preponderance of the evidence” vs. “beyond a reasonable doubt”), and the goal is compensation and institutional accountability.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Civil Hazing Case?

A thorough investigation aims to identify every entity with responsibility. In the UH case, we named 17 defendants across four categories:

1. The Individual Perpetrators: The 13 named fraternity members who planned, executed, or supervised the abuse.
2. The Local Chapter & Its Entities: The Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter and its separate housing corporation.
3. The National Organization: Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, which sets policies, collects dues, and is ultimately responsible for chapter oversight.
4. The University: The University of Houston and the UH System Board of Regents, which own or control campus housing, recognize student organizations, and have a duty to protect students from foreseeable harm.

For Stafford families, a case might involve courts in the county where the university is located (e.g., Harris County for UH, Travis County for UT Austin), but our firm manages this complexity statewide.

National Hazing Case Patterns: Why History Matters for Your Case

The tragic case at UH did not occur in a vacuum. National fraternities have long, documented histories of similar abuse. When we take a case, we investigate the national pattern to prove the organization was on notice and failed to act. This history strengthens your claim.

• Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State (Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): A pledge died from alcohol poisoning after a “Big/Little” event. Result: $10 million settlement ($7M from nationals, $3M from university).
• Timothy Piazza – Penn State (Beta Theta Pi, 2017): A pledge died from traumatic brain injury after a night of forced drinking; help was delayed for hours. Result: Dozens of criminal convictions and new Pennsylvania hazing laws.
• Max Gruver – LSU (Phi Delta Theta, 2017): A pledge died during a “Bible study” drinking game. Result: The Max Gruver Act made hazing a felony in Louisiana; a $6.1 million civil verdict.
• Andrew Coffey – Florida State (Pi Kappa Phi, 2017): A pledge died from alcohol poisoning at a “Big Brother” event. This is the same national fraternity involved in the UH case, proving a dangerous, recurring pattern.

These cases establish a clear legal principle: foreseeability. When a national fraternity like Pi Kappa Phi has seen a pledge die from alcohol hazing in Florida, it cannot claim ignorance when the same patterns emerge at its University of Houston chapter. This pattern evidence is crucial for overcoming defense arguments and securing maximum accountability.

The Texas Greek Ecosystem: Where Stafford Families Send Their Kids

Stafford is uniquely positioned in Fort Bend County within the massive Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metropolitan area. Our community sends students to a wide range of institutions, from local campuses to major state universities. Each has its own Greek landscape and documented hazing risks.

The Local & Regional Campus Scene

• North American University (Stafford): Located right in Stafford, this campus contributes to the local educational fabric.
• University of Houston System: For many Stafford families, UH’s main campus in nearby Houston is a primary destination. As the Leonel Bermudez lawsuit proves, its Greek life carries significant, active risks.
• Prairie View A&M University (Prairie View, Waller County): A historically Black university (HBCU) with a strong NPHC (“Divine Nine”) Greek presence.
• Texas Southern University (Houston, Harris County): Another major HBCU in Houston with active Greek organizations.
• Houston Christian University, University of St. Thomas, Rice University: Other Houston-area institutions with Greek life.

Major Statewide University Hubs

Stafford families also commonly send students to flagship universities across Texas, each with extensive Greek systems and hazing incident histories:

1. Texas A&M University (College Station)

• Culture & Risk: Home to a large Corps of Cadets and a massive Greek system. The “Aggie culture” of tradition can sometimes mask abusive practices.
• Documented Incidents: A Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) chapter was sued after pledges suffered severe chemical burns from being doused in industrial cleaner. The Corps of Cadets has faced lawsuits alleging degrading hazing rituals.
• For Stafford Families: A student at A&M may be hours away, but Texas law and our statewide practice allow us to help. Evidence and investigation are key.

2. University of Texas at Austin

• Transparency Tool: UT maintains a public online hazing violations log, a valuable resource showing recurring sanctions.
• Documented Incidents: The log shows repeated violations. For example, Pi Kappa Alpha was sanctioned for forcing new members to drink milk and perform strenuous calisthenics. Other spirit groups like the Texas Cowboys have faced serious hazing allegations.
• Legal Takeaway: This public record helps prove a pattern of known issues, strengthening claims against both the chapters and the university.

3. Baylor University (Waco) & Southern Methodist University (Dallas)

• These private universities have faced their own hazing scandals, from athletic teams to Greek chapters. Their private status doesn’t shield them from liability; it often means they fight harder to protect their reputation.

Public Records Directory: The Greek Organizations Behind the Letters

One of our firm’s key advantages in hazing litigation is our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine. We maintain and actively use a database built from public records to identify every potentially liable entity. This means Stafford families don’t start from zero. Below is a sample of the types of organizations we track. This is not an accusation, but a demonstration of the complex web of legally recognized entities behind campus Greek life.

Fraternity & Sorority Entities in the Houston Metro Area (Sample):

• Sigma Chi Fraternity Epsilon Xi Chapter | EIN: 74-6084905 | Houston, TX 77204 | IRS B83 Filing
• Pi Kappa Phi Delta Omega Chapter Building Corporation | EIN: 37-1768785 | Missouri City, TX 77459 | IRS B83 Filing
• Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. – Sigma Gamma Chapter | EIN: 39-2352450 | Houston, TX 77254 | IRS B83 Filing
• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc. | EIN: 46-2267515 | Frisco, TX 75035 | IRS B83 Filing
• Texas District of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity | Houston, TX | Cause IQ Metro Listing
• Omega Psi Phi Fraternity – Theta Chi Chapter | Houston, TX | Cause IQ Metro Listing

Texas Universities with Greek Life (Where Stafford Students Attend):

• University of Houston (Harris County)
• Texas A&M University (Brazos County)
• University of Texas at Austin (Travis County)
• Southern Methodist University (Dallas County)
• Baylor University (McLennan County)
• Prairie View A&M University (Waller County)
• Texas Southern University (Harris County)

Cross-Validated National Brands (Found in Both IRS & Metro Data):
Organizations like Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity appear across multiple data sources, showing how national networks operate through various legal entities in Texas. Tracking these connections is essential for identifying all sources of insurance coverage and liability.

This directory, comprised of over 1,400 tracked entities statewide, forms the backbone of our investigative strategy. When we take a case, we already know how to find the housing corporations, alumni associations, and national headquarters that may share responsibility.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

If your family is facing this crisis, know that building a successful case requires immediate, strategic action and deep investigative resources. Here is how we approach it:

Critical Evidence Collection

The digital age means evidence is abundant but fragile. We focus on:

• Group Chats: Preserving full threads from GroupMe, iMessage, WhatsApp, etc., that show planning, coercion, and boasting.
• Social Media: Screenshots of Instagram stories, Snapchats, TikTok videos, and posts that document events or injuries.
• Medical Records: Comprehensive records from ER visits, hospitalizations, and follow-up care that directly link injuries to hazing events. In the UH case, lab reports showing critically high creatine kinase levels were key.
• Internal Documents: Obtaining pledge manuals, chapter bylaws, and national fraternity risk management policies through discovery.
• University Records: Using public records requests and litigation discovery to uncover prior complaints, disciplinary actions, and internal communications about the group.

Overcoming Common Defense Tactics

We anticipate and counter the standard defenses:

• “They Consented”: We cite Texas law (§37.155) and use evidence of coercion and power imbalance to nullify this argument.
• “Rogue Members / We Didn’t Know”: We use national pattern evidence and prior incidents to prove the organization should have known and failed in its duty to supervise.
• “It Was Off-Campus”: Texas law applies to off-campus conduct. We establish the university’s and national’s control over the members and the foreseeability of off-campus hazing.
• “Insurance Doesn’t Cover This”: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, uses his former experience as an insurance defense attorney to navigate coverage issues and battle bad-faith denials.

Recoverable Damages

A civil lawsuit seeks to make the victim whole and hold defendants accountable. Recoverable damages can include:

• Economic Damages: All past and future medical expenses, lost wages, costs of psychological counseling, and diminished future earning capacity.
• Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, humiliation, PTSD, anxiety, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: In the ultimate tragedy, families can recover funeral costs, loss of financial support, and damages for grief and loss of companionship.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of egregious conduct, courts may award damages to punish the defendants and deter future behavior.

Practical Steps and FAQs for Stafford Parents & Students

What Parents Should Do Immediately

1. Prioritize Health: Get immediate medical attention, even for seemingly minor injuries. Conditions like rhabdomyolysis or internal trauma may not be obvious.
2. Preserve Evidence: Help your child screenshot every relevant group chat, text, and social media post. Photograph injuries. Secure any physical items (clothing, paddles). Do not delete anything.
3. Document Everything: Write a detailed timeline with names, dates, locations, and what happened while memories are fresh.
4. Seek Legal Counsel Before Reporting: Contact us before formally reporting to the university or police. We can help you navigate the process to protect your child’s rights and preserve evidence. Universities often have conflicting priorities.
5. Avoid Critical Mistakes: Do not confront the fraternity/sorority. Do not sign any documents from the university or its insurers. Do not post about the incident on social media.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can we sue the university?
A: Yes. Public universities like UH and Texas A&M are not immune from lawsuits, especially in cases of gross negligence or deliberate indifference. Our lawsuit against UH alleges it knew or should have known about the systemic hazing and failed to act.

Q: How long do we have to file a lawsuit?
A: In Texas, the statute of limitations for personal injury is generally two years from the date of injury. However, this can be complex. Do not wait. Evidence disappears, witnesses scatter, and memory fades. Call us immediately to protect your rights.

Q: What if my child “agreed” to participate?
A: Under Texas law, consent is not a defense to hazing. The power dynamics, peer pressure, and desire to belong mean true, voluntary consent is not present in these situations.

Q: Will our case be public?
A: Many hazing cases are resolved through confidential settlements. We always strive to protect our clients’ privacy while aggressively pursuing accountability. The decision to file a public lawsuit, as we did in the UH case, is a strategic one we make with our clients.

Why Choose Attorney911 for Your Stafford Family’s Hazing Case?

When your family is in crisis, you need advocates who combine relentless investigation with proven litigation power. The Manginello Law Firm / Attorney911 is uniquely equipped to handle the complexity of hazing cases.

Our Groundbreaking Active Litigation: We are not theorists; we are fighters in the arena. We are currently leading the $10 million hazing lawsuit against the University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi on behalf of Leonel Bermudez. We understand the tactics of national fraternities and university defense counsel because we are actively using them in court.

Insider Insurance Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), spent years as a defense attorney for a national insurance firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers evaluate claims, deny coverage, and attempt to minimize payouts. We use this insider knowledge to our clients’ decisive advantage.

Complex Institutional Litigation Experience: Managing Partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few plaintiff attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation, facing down billion-dollar defendants. Taking on a major university or a national fraternity with deep pockets requires the same level of skill, resources, and tenacity. We have it.

Data-Driven Investigation: We don’t start from scratch. Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—tracking over 1,400 Greek entities—allows us to immediately identify housing corporations, alumni associations, and national networks. We know where to look for liability and insurance coverage.

Full-Service Support: From evidence preservation and digital forensics to working with medical experts, life-care planners, and economists, we build the comprehensive case necessary to secure your child’s future and well-being.

Call to Action for Stafford: You Are Not Alone

If you are a parent in Stafford, Sugar Land, Missouri City, or anywhere in Fort Bend County and you suspect your child has been hazed—whether at UH, Texas A&M, UT, or any Texas campus—the time to act is now.

We offer a free, confidential, and no-obligation consultation. We will listen to your story, review the evidence you have, and explain all your legal options with clarity and compassion. There is no pressure, only guidance.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm / Attorney911 Today:

• Call our Legal Emergency Line: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
• Direct Line: (713) 528-9070
• Email Ralph Manginello: ralph@atty911.com
• Email Lupe Peña (Se habla Español): lupe@atty911.com
• Website: https://attorney911.com

We serve families across Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. Let us use our experience, data, and unwavering commitment to fight for your child’s recovery and for the accountability that can prevent this from happening to another family.

Legal Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and law. For advice on your specific situation, please contact us for a consultation.