A Complete Guide to Hazing, Texas Law, and Your Family’s Rights in the City of Marquez

If Your Child Was Hazed, You Are Not Alone

For parents in the City of Marquez, the news from a college campus can feel distant until it suddenly lands at your kitchen table. Perhaps your child, who commutes to Texas A&M from our tight-knit Leon County community, comes home unusually quiet after pledge events. Maybe they mention “mandatory” late-night workouts. Their phone buzzes constantly with group chat demands. You notice exhaustion that goes beyond normal college stress, or an unexplained injury they brush off as “just part of the process.” When you ask questions, you’re met with secrecy or reassurance that “everything’s fine.”

This guide is written specifically for you—families in Marquez, Buffalo, Centerville, and across Leon County who have sent their students to Texas universities. Right now, we are actively litigating one of the most serious hazing cases in Texas: the $10 million lawsuit filed on behalf of Leonel Bermudez against the University of Houston, the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter, its national headquarters, and 13 individual fraternity leaders. This isn’t a historical example; this is what we’re fighting today.

We will explain exactly what modern hazing looks like, how Texas law defines it, what national patterns tell us about institutional failures, and what legal options your family may have if hazing has touched your life. Our firm, The Manginello Law Firm (operating as Attorney911), serves families throughout Texas, including right here in Marquez and Leon County. We’ve built this guide to give you the knowledge and resources you need during an incredibly difficult time.

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:

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

Contact an experienced hazing attorney quickly. 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

Hazing is no longer just about “hell week” pranks. It has evolved into a sophisticated, often digitally coordinated pattern of coercion that endangers students physically and psychologically. For Marquez families, understanding these modern tactics is the first step in recognizing danger.

A Modern Definition

Hazing is any forced, coerced, or strongly pressured action tied to joining, maintaining membership, or gaining status in a group, where the behavior endangers physical or mental health, humiliates, or exploits. A student’s “consent” does not make it safe or legal when given under peer pressure, power imbalance, and fear of social exclusion.

Main Categories of Hazing Today

Alcohol and Substance Hazing
This remains the most common and deadliest form. It includes forced “lineup” drinking, “Big/Little” nights where pledges are given handles of liquor, drinking games with punishment for wrong answers, and coerced consumption of unknown substances or excessive amounts of food until vomiting.

Physical Hazing
This ranges from punitive “smokings” (extreme calisthenics) to violent assaults. It includes paddling or beatings, sleep and food deprivation, exposure to extreme elements, and dangerous “tests” like blindfolded tackles or strenuous workouts designed to cause collapse, not improve fitness.

Psychological and Digital Hazing
This is where hazing has evolved most dramatically. It involves 24/7 control via group chats (GroupMe, Discord), public shaming on social media, forced creation of compromising content, social isolation, verbal abuse, and threats of expulsion from the group for non-compliance. The digital trail this leaves is often the most critical evidence.

Sexualized and Humiliating Hazing
This includes forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, degrading costumes or positions, and acts with racist, sexist, or homophobic overtones. These acts cause profound and lasting trauma.

Where Hazing Happens

While fraternities and sororities are often the focus, hazing pervades many groups:

• Fraternities & Sororities (IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, Multicultural)
• Corps of Cadets, ROTC, and military-style groups
• Athletic teams (varsity, club, and spirit squads)
• Marching bands and performance groups
• Academic clubs, honor societies, and “spirit” organizations (like the Texas Cowboys)

The common thread is a dynamic where established members wield power over new members in the name of “tradition,” “bonding,” or “earning your place.”

Texas Hazing Law & Liability: What Marquez Families Need to Know

Texas has specific laws governing hazing, and understanding them is crucial for holding wrongdoers accountable.

Texas Education Code – Chapter 37 (Hazing)

The Definition (Plain English)
Texas law defines hazing as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, on or off campus, directed against a student for the purpose of pledging, initiation, affiliation, holding office, or maintaining membership in a student organization, that:

• Endangers the mental or physical health or safety of the student.

Key Points for Leon County Families:

• It can happen on or off campus (a retreat, an Airbnb, a private house).
• It can cause mental or physical harm (PTSD counts).
• “Reckless” conduct is enough—they don’t have to intend to cause harm, just be reckless about the risk.
• Consent is NOT a defense. Texas Education Code § 37.155 explicitly states that the victim’s “consent” to the hazing activity is not a defense. The law recognizes the power imbalance at play.

Criminal Penalties

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

Organizations can also be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 per violation. The university can revoke their recognition.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Two Paths to Accountability

Criminal Cases

• Brought by: The State of Texas (local or campus police, district attorney).
• Goal: Punishment (jail, fines, probation).
• Charges can include: Hazing, furnishing alcohol to minors, assault, and in fatal cases, manslaughter.

Civil Cases

• Brought by: The victim or their family.
• Goal: Compensation for damages and institutional accountability.
• Claims can include: Negligence, gross negligence, wrongful death, negligent supervision, intentional infliction of emotional distress.

These cases can proceed simultaneously. A criminal conviction is not required to file a civil lawsuit. The burden of proof is different (“beyond a reasonable doubt” in criminal court vs. “preponderance of the evidence” in civil court).

Federal Law Overlay

• Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges receiving federal aid to report hazing incidents more transparently and maintain public hazing data.
• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or gender-based hostility, a school’s Title IX obligations are triggered.
• Clery Act: Requires reporting of certain crimes on campus; hazing incidents that involve assault or alcohol crimes may be Clery-reportable.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Civil Lawsuit?

A sophisticated hazing case looks at the entire ecosystem of responsibility:

1. Individual Students: Those who planned, carried out, or assisted in the hazing.
2. The Local Chapter: The fraternity, sorority, or club as an entity.
3. The National Organization: Headquarters that set policies, collect dues, and oversee chapters. Their knowledge of prior incidents at other chapters is crucial.
4. The University: For negligence in supervision, failing to act on prior complaints, or deliberate indifference. Public universities (like Texas A&M or UT) have certain immunity hurdles, but exceptions exist.
5. Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses, alcohol providers (under dram shop laws), and security companies.

National Hazing Case Patterns: The Scripts That Repeat

Major hazing deaths and injuries across the country follow tragically predictable patterns. For Marquez parents, these cases are not just news stories; they are blueprints that show how hazing escalates, how institutions fail, and how families have fought for justice.

The Alcohol Poisoning Pattern

• Timothy Piazza – Penn State, Beta Theta Pi (2017): A bid-acceptance night with extreme drinking led to fatal falls. Brothers delayed calling 911 for hours. The case resulted in dozens of criminal charges and Pennsylvania’s “Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law.”
• Max Gruver – LSU, Phi Delta Theta (2017): A “Bible study” drinking game where wrong answers meant drinking. Max died with a 0.495% BAC. The Max Gruver Act made hazing a felony in Louisiana.
• Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha (2021): A “Big/Little” night where Stone was forced to drink a bottle of whiskey. He died from alcohol poisoning. The family reached a $10 million settlement ($7M from Pike national, ~$3M from BGSU). The chapter president was later ordered to pay $6.5 million personally.

The Violent Ritual Pattern

• Chun “Michael” Deng – Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi (2013): Pledge died from traumatic brain injury after a blindfolded, violent “glass ceiling” ritual at a retreat. The national fraternity was criminally convicted and banned from Pennsylvania for 10 years.

The Athletic & Institutional Pattern

• Northwestern University Football (2023-2025): Former players alleged systemic, sexualized hazing within the program, leading to multiple lawsuits, the firing of the head coach, and a confidential settlement. This proved hazing is not confined to Greek life.

What These Cases Mean for Texas

The scripts are identical: forced drinking, humiliation, violence, delayed medical care, and cover-ups. The national fraternities involved in these tragedies—Pi Kappa Alpha, Beta Theta Pi, Phi Delta Theta, Sigma Alpha Epsilon—all have active chapters at Texas universities. Their national headquarters cannot claim ignorance. These patterns create foreseeability, a key legal concept that strengthens claims against nationals and universities who failed to prevent known dangers.

Texas University Focus: Where Marquez Families Send Their Students

Parents in Marquez and Leon County often have students at local colleges, regional universities, and major Texas hubs. Understanding the landscape at these schools is critical.

Texas A&M University (A Primary Destination for Leon County Students)

Campus & Culture Snapshot
As one of the nation’s largest universities and a short drive from Marquez, Texas A&M is a common choice for local students. Its culture is defined by deep tradition, a massive Greek life system, and the prominent Corps of Cadets. These very traditions can sometimes mask or enable abusive behaviors under the guise of “building character.”

Documented Incidents & Responses

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Chemical Burns Case (2021): Pledges alleged being subjected to strenuous activity and having substances including industrial-strength cleaner, raw eggs, and spit poured on them, causing severe chemical burns that required skin graft surgeries. The pledges sued for $1 million. The university suspended the chapter.
• Corps of Cadets “Roasted Pig” Lawsuit (2023): A cadet alleged degrading hazing, including being bound between beds in a simulated sexual position with an apple in his mouth. He sought over $1 million in damages. Texas A&M stated it handled the matter internally.
• Public Disciplinary Records: Texas A&M maintains conduct records, though with less public transparency than UT Austin. Patterns of alcohol misuse, forced activities, and intimidation appear in sanctions against various fraternities.

How a Case at Texas A&M Might Proceed
Jurisdiction would involve Brazos County courts. Potential defendants include individual cadets or fraternity members, the local chapter, the national fraternity or Corps alumni association, and potentially Texas A&M itself for negligent supervision. The university’s extensive internal regulations for both Greek life and the Corps would be scrutinized.

University of Houston (Site of Our Active Pi Kappa Phi Lawsuit)

Campus & Culture Snapshot
UH is a large, diverse urban campus with active Greek life. The Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter was located here until its closure in November 2025 following our lawsuit.

The Leonel Bermudez Case – A Current Example
We represent Leonel Bermudez in a $10 million lawsuit against UH, Pi Kappa Phi nationals, the housing corporation, and 13 individuals. The hazing included:

• A degrading “pledge fanny pack” rule (condoms, sex toy, nicotine).
• Extreme physical abuse: sprints, bear crawls, lying in vomit, being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding.”
• Forced consumption of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting.
• A November 3 workout: 100+ push-ups, 500 squats under threat of expulsion.
  This culminated in Bermudez developing rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure. He passed brown urine, was hospitalized for four days, and faces ongoing kidney damage. After media reports (Click2Houston, ABC13), Pi Kappa Phi suspended the chapter on Nov. 6, 2025, and members voted to surrender their charter on Nov. 14. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing.”

University of Texas at Austin

UT Austin maintains one of the most transparent hazing violation logs in the country. Public records show sanctions against groups like Pi Kappa Alpha for forced milk consumption and calisthenics, and Texas Wranglers for alcohol-related hazing. These public records are powerful evidence in civil suits, demonstrating a pattern of known issues.

Southern Methodist University & Baylor University

As private institutions with strong Greek life, SMU and Baylor handle cases with less public disclosure. SMU’s Kappa Alpha Order chapter was suspended for paddling and forced drinking. Baylor has faced hazing allegations within its baseball program. The legal strategy at private schools differs from public ones, often with fewer immunity hurdles.

Fraternities & Sororities: National Histories That Matter in Texas

The fraternities and sororities on Texas campuses are chapters of national organizations. When a chapter hazes, it’s often following a known national script. This history creates legal liability.

Why National Histories Create Liability

National headquarters have extensive anti-hazing policies precisely because they know the dangers. When a Texas chapter repeats a pattern that caused death or injury at another campus, it demonstrates foreseeability. The national organization can be held liable for failing to adequately supervise, train, or intervene.

A Snapshot of High-Risk National Patterns

• Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike): National pattern of fatal “Big/Little” alcohol hazing (Stone Foltz at BGSU).
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): Multiple chapter suspensions for alcohol hazing and physical abuse nationally, including the Texas A&M chemical burns case.
• Phi Delta Theta: National pattern of drinking game hazing (Max Gruver at LSU).
• Pi Kappa Phi: Pattern of alcohol-centric hazing (Andrew Coffey at FSU), and now the severe physical hazing case we are litigating at UH.
• Kappa Alpha Order: History of paddling and physical hazing incidents.

These organizations are not strangers to litigation. Their insurers have paid multi-million dollar settlements. This history is critical in building a case, as it shows the national knew or should have known the risks and failed to take effective preventive action.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Damages, and Strategy

Pursuing accountability requires a meticulous, evidence-driven approach. This is where our firm’s experience in complex litigation against institutional defendants becomes critical.

The Evidence That Wins Cases

1. Digital Communications: GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord, Instagram DMs. These show planning, coercion, threats, and boasting. Deleted messages can often be recovered through digital forensics.
2. Photos & Videos: Content filmed by participants is damning evidence. This includes social media posts, stories, and private shares.
3. Internal Organization Documents: Pledge manuals, “tradition” guides, emails between officers, and national fraternity risk management policies.
4. University Records: Prior conduct files on the group, Clery Act reports, internal investigation notes, and correspondence between the school and the national organization (obtained through discovery).
5. Medical & Psychological Records: ER reports, hospitalization records, diagnoses of rhabdomyolysis (as in the UH case), PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
6. Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, roommates, and resident advisors.

Categories of Damages in a Civil Case

• Economic Damages: Past and future medical bills, lost wages, diminished earning capacity (if injuries are permanent), and educational costs (semesters lost).
• Non-Economic Damages: Physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages (for families): Funeral costs, loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and emotional suffering.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of particularly reckless or malicious conduct, to punish the defendant and deter future behavior.

Overcoming Institutional Defense Tactics

We know the defenses because Mr. Lupe Peña used to help build them as an insurance defense attorney. Common defenses we dismantle include:

• “The student consented.” → Texas law states consent is not a defense to hazing.
• “It was a rogue chapter; the national didn’t know.” → We subpoena national records to show prior incident patterns.
• “It happened off-campus.” → Liability is based on relationships and control, not just geography.
• “We have an anti-hazing policy.” → We show the gap between paper policy and actual enforcement.

Practical Guides & FAQs for Marquez Families

For Parents: Warning Signs and Steps

Warning Signs:

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
• Extreme fatigue, sleep deprivation.
• Sudden secrecy about group activities.
• Personality changes: anxiety, withdrawal, irritability.
• Constant, anxious phone use related to group chats.
• Financial drains for “fines,” alcohol, or mandatory purchases.

What to Do:

1. Talk Calmly: Ask open-ended questions. “I’m worried about you. Is anything happening that makes you feel unsafe or humiliated?”
2. Prioritize Safety: If there’s immediate danger or injury, get medical help.
3. Preserve Evidence: Help your child screenshot everything. Do not let them delete.
4. Document: Write down what you’re told with dates and names.
5. Consult a Lawyer Early: Before reporting to the university or confronting the group, speak with an attorney to understand your rights and protect the evidence trail.

For Students: Your Rights and Safety

• You have the right to leave any situation that feels unsafe or degrading.
• “Consent” under pressure is not real consent in the eyes of Texas law.
• Calling 911 in a medical emergency is protected; many schools and Texas law have “good faith” reporter protections.
• Preserve evidence on your phone. Take screenshots, photos of injuries, and save all messages.

Critical Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Case

1. Deleting messages or “cleaning up” evidence. This looks like a cover-up and destroys your case.
2. Confronting the group directly. This prompts them to lawyer up, destroy evidence, and coach witnesses.
3. Signing university “resolution” forms without an attorney. You may be signing away your right to sue.
4. Posting details on social media. Defense attorneys will use this against you.
5. Waiting for the university to “handle it.” Internal processes are not designed for victim compensation or full accountability. Evidence disappears while you wait.

Short FAQ

“Can we sue a Texas public university for hazing?”
Yes, though sovereign immunity presents hurdles. Exceptions exist for gross negligence, Title IX violations, or suing individual employees. Many universities settle to avoid the discovery process and bad publicity.

“How long do we have to file a lawsuit?”
Generally, two years from the date of injury or death in Texas. However, specific circumstances can affect this. Do not wait. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 to understand your timeline.

“What if it happened off-campus at a house or Airbnb?”
Location does not eliminate liability. Nationals and universities can still be responsible based on their relationship to and control over the chapter and their knowledge of foreseeable risks.

“Will this be public?”
Most civil cases settle confidentially before trial. We prioritize your family’s privacy while aggressively pursuing accountability.

Why Attorney911 for Texas Hazing Cases

When your family faces a hazing crisis, you need attorneys who understand the powerful institutions you’re up against and have a proven record of holding them accountable.

We are not a general personal injury firm. We are Texas complex litigation specialists with a focused advantage in hazing cases:

1. Insider Insurance Knowledge – Mr. Lupe Peña’s Defense Background
Mr. Peña spent years as an insurance defense attorney at a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurance companies evaluate claims, use delay tactics, and fight coverage. We know their playbook because we used to run it. This is an invaluable advantage in maximizing your recovery.

2. Proven Experience Against Massive Institutions – Ralph Manginello’s BP Litigation
Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas plaintiff attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation, taking on a billion-dollar corporation. We are not intimidated by national fraternities, university regents, or their high-powered defense teams. We’ve built cases against the deepest pockets and won.

3. Multi-Million Dollar Catastrophic Injury & Wrongful Death Results
We have a proven track record of securing significant settlements and verdicts in cases involving severe injuries and wrongful death. We work with life-care planners and economists to ensure the full, lifetime impact of an injury is accounted for.

4. Dual Civil & Criminal Hazing Expertise
Ralph Manginello’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the criminal side of hazing allegations. We can effectively navigate cases where criminal charges and civil liability intersect, and advise witnesses or former members.

5. Investigative Depth & a Network of Experts
We investigate hazing like it’s a crime scene because it often is. We utilize digital forensics experts to recover deleted messages, medical experts to explain injuries like rhabdomyolysis, psychologists to document trauma, and Greek life experts to explain organizational culture. We know how to subpoena national fraternity records and university files that others can’t access.

6. Empathetic, Victim-Centered Advocacy
We know this is one of the most painful experiences a family can endure. Our mission is to get you answers, secure the resources needed for healing, and force the changes necessary to prevent this from happening to another student from Marquez or anywhere else.

Your Next Step: A Confidential, No-Obligation Consultation

If hazing has impacted your family, you don’t have to navigate this alone. Whether your student attends Texas A&M, a school in North Texas, or any campus nationwide, we are here to help.

We serve families throughout Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, and we are ready to listen to your story.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm / Attorney911 today:

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

Hablamos Español. Contact Mr. Lupe Peña at lupe@atty911.com for a consultation in Spanish.

In your free, confidential consultation, we will:

• Listen carefully to what happened.
• Review any evidence you have preserved.
• Explain the legal options available to your family.
• Discuss realistic expectations, timelines, and our contingency fee structure (you pay no fee unless we win).
• Help you decide on the best path forward for your family’s healing and pursuit of justice.

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 (1-888-288-9911)
Website: https://attorney911.com