Hazing Lawsuits in Texas: A Complete Guide for City of Groves Families

If Your Child Was Hazed in Texas, You Are Not Alone

It starts with a phone call home that sounds a little off. Your student, usually so excited about their new fraternity, sorority, Corps unit, or athletic team, now sounds exhausted, secretive, or afraid. They brush off questions about bruises, sudden weight loss, or why they’re getting texts at 3 AM. Maybe they mention “mandatory” events that interfere with exams, or they casually reference “traditions” that make you uneasy.

For parents in City of Groves, Port Arthur, Nederland, and across Jefferson County, this scenario is not hypothetical. Right now, just a few hours west in Houston, our firm is actively litigating one of the most serious hazing cases in Texas—a case that shows exactly how quickly “tradition” can turn into life-threatening abuse, and how powerful institutions often fail to protect the students in their care.

The Case That Changed Texas Hazing Litigation: Leonel Bermudez v. University of Houston & Pi Kappa Phi

In late 2025, we filed a $10 million hazing and abuse lawsuit on behalf of Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who pledged the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity’s Beta Nu chapter. What happened to him during the fall 2025 pledge period represents every parent’s worst nightmare, and it underscores why experienced legal intervention is critical.

The Hazing Was Systematic and Sadistic:

• Bermudez was forced to carry a “pledge fanny pack” 24/7 containing condoms, a sex toy, nicotine devices, and other humiliating items. Failure to comply meant punishment or expulsion.
• He endured extreme physical abuse: sprints, bear crawls, wheelbarrow races, and “save-your-brother” drills in the cold. He was forced to lie in vomit-soaked grass.
• In a tactic described as “similar to waterboarding,” he was sprayed in the face with a hose and threatened with actual waterboarding.
• He was forced to consume excessive amounts of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until he vomited, then immediately forced to sprint.
• On November 3, 2025, he was subjected to a “workout” of over 100 push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion from the pledge class.

The Medical Catastrophe:
This brutal hazing led to rhabdomyolysis—a severe skeletal muscle breakdown—and acute kidney failure. Bermudez passed brown urine, could not stand without help, and was hospitalized for four days with critically high creatine kinase levels. He faces an ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage and long-term physical and psychological harm.

The Institutional Response:
The lawsuit names a full universe of defendants: the University of Houston, the UH System Board of Regents, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, the Beta Nu housing corporation, and 13 individual fraternity leaders. 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” and promised disciplinary action and cooperation with law enforcement.

This is not a historical case. This is active, high-stakes litigation we are leading right now. It proves that when families in Texas, including those in City of Groves and the Golden Triangle, stand up with the right legal team, they can force accountability against universities and national fraternities. The full details are covered in major media reports, including the Click2Houston investigation and ABC13 coverage.

The Local Greek Ecosystem: What Groves Parents Need to Know About Southeast Texas

When your child joins a fraternity or sorority, they aren’t just joining a campus club. They’re entering a complex network of legally recognized organizations with insurance policies, national headquarters, and local entities that can be held accountable. For families in City of Groves, Beaumont, and Port Arthur, this network includes both local chapters and the massive statewide Greek system.

Where City of Groves & Jefferson County Families Send Their Kids to College

Students from our community attend universities across Texas. Many live at home and commute to Lamar University right here in Beaumont. Countless others head to major flagship universities, drawn by academic programs, athletics, and tradition.

Local & Regional Campuses:

• Lamar University (Beaumont, TX) – A major public university in our own backyard with active Greek life and NCAA Division I athletics.
• Texas A&M University at Galveston – Many Southeast Texas students interested in maritime studies attend.
• University of Houston-Clear Lake – A common choice for commuting students from the region.

Major Statewide Hubs (Where Groves Kids Often Go):

• University of Houston – The site of our active Bermudez case; a top destination for local students.
• Texas A&M University (College Station) – A traditional favorite with a massive Greek system and the Corps of Cadets.
• University of Texas at Austin – The state’s flagship, with over 60 fraternity and sorority chapters.
• Baylor University (Waco) & Southern Methodist University (Dallas) – Premier private universities with strong Greek life.
• Texas State University (San Marcos), Texas Tech University (Lubbock), and University of North Texas (Denton) also attract thousands of Southeast Texas students each year.

Public Records Directory: Fraternities, Sororities & Greek Entities Connected to Texas Campuses

If your child is hazed, you deserve to know who really stands behind the organization. We maintain a Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine built from public IRS data, university records, and national databases. This is not a speculative list—these are real, tax-recognized entities that may hold insurance and liability.

A Snapshot of Texas Greek Organizations (From IRS B83 Public Filings):

• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, Epsilon Kappa Alumni – EIN 746064445. Nederland, TX 77627. Alumni association connected to Lamar University.
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Mu Epsilon Chapter – EIN 364091267. Beaumont, TX 76710. Undergraduate chapter at Lamar University.
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Lamar University Chapter – EIN 263170920. Beaumont, TX. Academic honor society.
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Beaumont Alumni – EIN 237279532. Prairie View, TX 77446. Graduate chapter serving the area.
• Alpha Delta Kappa, Texas Gamma Upsilon – EIN 812724215. Vidor, TX 77662. Teachers’ sorority chapter.
• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, Lambda Lambda Chapter – EIN 746064445. Beaumont, TX. Undergraduate chapter at Lamar University (founded 2018).
• Kappa Sigma – Mu Gamma Chapter Inc. – EIN 273662583. Lufkin, TX 75904.
• Alpha Tau Omega Housing Corporation of Eta Iota Chapter – EIN 300517788. Nacogdoches, TX 75965.
• Sigma Phi Lambda Inc. (Multiple Chapters) – EIN 201237505. Corinth, TX 76210. Christian sorority with chapters statewide.
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc. – EIN 741380362. Fort Worth, TX 76147. Foundation supporting Kappa Sigma chapters.

Beaumont-Port Arthur Metro Area Greek Organizations (From Cause IQ Data):
The Beaumont-Port Arthur metro is home to at least 22 Greek-related organizations, including undergraduate chapters, alumni associations, and honor societies. These include the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority – Beaumont Alumnae Chapter, Sigma Gamma Rho – Alpha Psi Sigma Alumnae Chapter, and Psi Chi – Lamar University Chapter (psychology honor society).

The Big Picture: 1,423 Greek Organizations Across Texas
Statewide, our data tracks over 1,423 fraternities, sororities, and related entities across 25 Texas metro areas. The institutions your child interacts with are part of this vast, interconnected system. When hazing occurs, we know how to identify every potentially liable entity—from the local chapter officer to the national housing corporation—because we’ve already done the research.

Texas Hazing Law & Liability: A Plain-English Guide for Groves Families

Texas has specific laws to protect students from hazing. Understanding these laws is the first step toward holding organizations accountable.

Texas Education Code, Chapter 37 (The Hazing Statute):

• Definition: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of initiation into or affiliation with an organization.
• Key Point: Consent is NOT a defense. Even if your child “agreed” to participate, it is still hazing under Texas law. The power imbalance and peer pressure inherent in pledging negate true consent.
• Criminal Penalties: Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. It becomes a state jail felony if it causes serious bodily injury or death. Individuals can also be charged for failing to report hazing.
• Organizational Liability: The fraternity or sorority itself can be fined up to $10,000 per violation and lose university recognition.

Civil Lawsuits for Damages:
A criminal case is brought by the state to punish wrongdoing. A civil lawsuit, which we handle, is brought by the victim and family to recover compensation for:

• Medical Expenses: Past and future hospital bills, surgery, therapy, medications.
• Lost Wages & Earning Capacity: Time off work, delayed graduation, reduced lifetime earnings due to disability.
• Pain and Suffering: Physical pain, emotional trauma, PTSD, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: If hazing results in death, families can recover funeral costs, loss of companionship, and emotional suffering.

The Federal Overlay: Title IX, Clery, and the Stop Campus Hazing Act
Universities that receive federal funding have additional duties. If hazing involves sexual harassment or assault, Title IX requires the school to investigate and address it. The Clery Act requires reporting of certain crimes. The new Stop Campus Hazing Act mandates more transparent reporting of hazing incidents nationwide. These federal laws create additional avenues for accountability when universities fail in their duties.

Why National Hazing Histories Matter for Your Child’s Case

The fraternity that hazed your child at Texas A&M or UT Austin is part of a national organization with a history. That history is powerful evidence.

Patterns of Foreseeable Harm:

• Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike): Responsible for the death of Stone Foltz at Bowling Green State University (2021), leading to a $10 million settlement. This national pattern makes it harder for them to claim “we didn’t know this could happen.”
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): Faced a lawsuit at Texas A&M where pledges suffered severe chemical burns from industrial cleaner. Has a national history of alcohol-related hazing deaths.
• Phi Delta Theta: Responsible for the hazing death of Max Gruver at LSU (2017), which led to Louisiana’s “Max Gruver Act” felony hazing statute.
• Pi Kappa Phi: The national organization named in our Bermudez lawsuit was also involved in the alcohol-poisoning death of Andrew Coffey at Florida State University (2017).

When we take a case, we investigate the national organization’s entire history. We subpoena their internal records to show prior incidents, warnings, and whether their “anti-hazing policies” were just paper promises or actually enforced. This pattern evidence is crucial for defeating defenses like “this was a rogue chapter” or “we couldn’t have foreseen this.”

Building a Winning Hazing Case: The Attorney911 Data-Driven Approach

Fighting a university and a national fraternity requires more than just filing a lawsuit. It requires an investigative strategy built on data, experience, and relentless pursuit of evidence.

Our Evidence Collection Process:

1. Digital Forensics: We immediately work to preserve and recover deleted group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, Snapchat), social media posts, and emails. As we explain in our educational video on evidence preservation, this digital trail is often the most critical evidence.
2. Institutional Discovery: We subpoena records from the university (prior conduct violations, internal investigations) and the national fraternity (risk management files, communications with the chapter).
3. Witness Interviews: We identify and interview other pledges, former members, and bystanders who can corroborate the hazing culture.
4. Expert Collaboration: We work with medical experts to document injuries, economists to calculate damages, and mental health professionals to assess trauma.

Overcoming Common Institutional Defenses:

• “The Pledge Consented”: We use Texas law (where consent is no defense) and evidence of coercion to defeat this.
• “It Was a Rogue Chapter”: We use national pattern evidence and internal records to prove the national organization knew or should have known.
• “It Happened Off-Campus”: We establish liability by showing the university or national still exercised control and benefited from the chapter.
• Insurance Coverage Fights: This is where our insider knowledge is key. Mr. Lupe Peña spent years as an insurance defense attorney. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers try to deny claims, and we know how to force coverage.

Practical Steps for City of Groves Parents & Students

If You Suspect Hazing Is Happening NOW:

1. Prioritize Safety: If your child is injured or dangerously intoxicated, call 911 immediately. Texas has good-faith reporter protections.
2. Preserve Evidence: Take screenshots of all related group chats and texts. Photograph injuries. Do not let your child delete anything.
3. Seek Medical Care: Go to the ER or urgent care. Tell the doctors the injuries are from hazing so it’s documented.
4. Contact an Attorney Before Reporting: Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911. We can guide you on how to report to the university or police in a way that protects your child’s rights and preserves evidence. Avoid common client mistakes that can damage a case.

Critical Questions to Ask:

• Has the organization been disciplined before? (Check UT Austin’s public hazing log; other schools may have less transparency).
• What is the national fraternity/sorority’s history of hazing incidents?
• What is the statute of limitations? In Texas, it’s generally two years from the date of injury, but exceptions apply. Don’t wait. Learn more about deadlines here.

Why Choose Attorney911? Texas-Based Hazing Litigators with a Proven Record

When your family is in crisis, you need more than a lawyer; you need advocates who understand the playbook of powerful institutions because they’ve faced them before.

Our Unique Qualifications for Hazing Cases:

1. We Are Leading Active, High-Stakes Texas Hazing Litigation. We represent Leonel Bermudez in the $10 million lawsuit against UH and Pi Kappa Phi. We are in the fight right now.
2. Insurance Insider Advantage. Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him) is a former insurance defense attorney for a national firm. He knows how fraternity and university insurers value claims, deploy delay tactics, and fight coverage. We know their strategy because we used to help build it.
3. Experience Against Billion-Dollar Defendants. Attorney Ralph Manginello was one of the few plaintiff attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by the deep pockets of national fraternities or university systems.
4. Complex Data-Driven Investigation. We don’t start from scratch. We use our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—built from thousands of public records—to immediately identify all potentially liable entities.
5. Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise. Mr. Manginello’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand both sides of hazing cases. We can advise families navigating parallel criminal investigations and civil lawsuits.
6. Spanish-Language Services. Mr. Peña speaks fluent Spanish. We are committed to serving the diverse families of Texas.

We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we win your case. See how our fee structure works.

Contact Attorney911 for a Confidential, No-Obligation Consultation

If your child has been hazed at Lamar University, Texas A&M, UT Austin, or any Texas campus, we are here to listen and help you understand your options.

Call us 24/7 at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). You can also reach us directly at (713) 528-9070 or via email at ralph@atty911.com.

During your free consultation, we will:

• Listen compassionately to your story.
• Review any evidence you have.
• Explain the legal landscape and your family’s rights under Texas law.
• Discuss the practical steps we can take, from evidence preservation to potential litigation.
• Answer all your questions about the process, timeline, and costs.

We serve families throughout Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. Whether you’re in City of Groves, Port Arthur, Nederland, or anywhere in Jefferson County, you don’t have to face this alone. The institutions behind hazing count on silence and fear. We provide the expertise and determination to break that cycle.

Contact Attorney911 today. Let’s get your family the answers, accountability, and justice you deserve.

Legal Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. An attorney-client relationship is not formed by reading this content. Every case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. If you need legal advice regarding a hazing matter, please contact Attorney911 at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a confidential consultation.