A Comprehensive Guide to Hazing Laws, Cases, and Recourse for Families in Dalworthington Gardens, Texas

If Your Child Was Hazed, You Are Not Alone

Imagine your child, a bright student from Dalworthington Gardens, excitedly joins a fraternity, sorority, or campus organization at a Texas university. What begins as camaraderie soon turns into something darker: mandatory late-night sessions, humiliating tasks, forced drinking, or extreme physical exertion. Your child feels trapped—afraid to quit for fear of social exclusion, afraid to speak up for fear of retaliation. Then, the unthinkable happens: an injury, a hospital visit, or a call home revealing they’ve been subjected to systematic abuse masked as “tradition.”

This is not a hypothetical scenario. It is a painful reality for Texas families, including those right here in Dalworthington Gardens in Tarrant County. Right now, our firm is actively litigating one of the most serious hazing cases in the country: the Leonel Bermudez $10 million hazing and abuse lawsuit against the University of Houston, the Pi Kappa Phi national fraternity, and 13 individual members. This case, happening just a few hours away in Houston, serves as a stark warning and a call to action.

This guide is written specifically for parents and families in Dalworthington Gardens and across Tarrant County who need to understand the harsh realities of modern hazing, the legal framework in Texas, and what to do if their child has been harmed. We will cover:

• What hazing truly looks like in 2025.
• Texas and federal hazing laws.
• Lessons from major national cases and how they apply to Texas universities.
• The specific landscape at schools where Dalworthington Gardens families send their children, including the University of Texas at Arlington, Texas Christian University, and other major Texas campuses.
• The legal options available to victims and their families.
• Why Attorney911 is uniquely equipped to guide families through this crisis.

This article provides general educational information, not specific legal advice. If your family is facing a hazing situation, we urge you to contact us at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a confidential, no-obligation consultation about your specific circumstances.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for any medical emergency.
• Then call Attorney911: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). We provide immediate legal guidance—that’s why we are the Legal Emergency Lawyers™.

In the first 48 hours:

1. Get Medical Attention: Even if your child insists they are “fine,” seek evaluation from a hospital ER or urgent care. Internal injuries like rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) may not be immediately apparent.
2. Preserve Evidence BEFORE It’s Deleted:
   • Screenshot all group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage), texts, and social media DMs immediately.
   • Photograph any visible injuries from multiple angles.
   • Save physical items (torn clothing, paddles, alcohol bottles, receipts).
3. Document Everything: Write down everything your child tells you—dates, times, locations, and names of everyone involved—while memories are fresh.
4. Do NOT:
   • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or organization directly.
   • Sign any documents from the university or an insurance company.
   • Post details on public social media.
   • Allow your child to delete messages or “clean up” their phone.

Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24–48 hours. Evidence vanishes quickly, and universities often move to control the narrative. We can help preserve critical evidence and protect your child’s rights. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for an immediate consultation.

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like

Hazing has evolved far beyond the stereotypical “prank.” It is a calculated pattern of abuse that exploits power dynamics, tradition, and secrecy. For parents in Dalworthington Gardens, understanding its modern forms 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. Critically, a victim’s “consent” is not a legal defense in Texas when peer pressure and power imbalance are present.

The Main Categories of Hazing Today

1. Alcohol and Substance Hazing
This remains the most common and deadly form. It includes forced “lineup” drinking games, “Big/Little” nights where pledges are given handles of liquor, and trivia games where wrong answers mandate consumption. The goal is often rapid intoxication to the point of illness or blackout.

2. Physical Hazing
This involves physical punishment or endurance tests disguised as “conditioning.”

• Paddling and Beatings: Still prevalent despite national bans.
• Extreme Calisthenics: “Smokings” involving hundreds of push-ups, squats, or wall-sits until collapse.
• Sleep and Deprivation: Mandatory all-night sessions, early wake-up calls, withholding food or water.
• Dangerous Exposure: Being left outside in extreme cold/heat or forced into uncomfortable, filthy spaces.

3. Psychological and Humiliating Hazing
Designed to break down identity and ensure compliance through shame.

• Verbal Abuse: Yelling, screaming, degrading insults, and threats.
• Public Humiliation: Forced to wear degrading costumes, perform embarrassing acts, or be “grilled” in front of members.
• Sexualized Hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, or demeaning role-playing.

4. Digital/Online Hazing
A 21st-century evolution that creates a 24/7 environment of control.

• Group Chat Tyranny: Pledges required to respond instantly to messages at all hours; failure results in punishment.
• Social Media Humiliation: Forced to post embarrassing content on Instagram, TikTok, or Snapchat.
• Geo-Tracking: Required to share live location via apps like Find My Friends.

Where Hazing Happens

While fraternities and sororities are often the focus, hazing is a systemic issue across campus organizations:

• Fraternities & Sororities (IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, multicultural councils).
• Corps of Cadets, ROTC, and military-style groups.
• Athletic Teams (from football to cheerleading).
• Spirit and Tradition Organizations (like Texas Cowboys or A&M’s Corps units).
• Marching Bands and Performance Groups.

The common threads are social status, tradition, and a code of silence that keep these practices alive even when everyone “knows” hazing is illegal.

Law & Liability Framework: Texas and Federal Laws

Understanding the legal landscape is crucial for Dalworthington Gardens families seeking accountability.

Texas Hazing Law (Education Code Chapter 37)

Texas has specific, strong anti-hazing statutes. Under § 37.151, hazing is defined as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, on or off campus, directed against a student for the purpose of initiation or affiliation, that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of that student.

Key Provisions for Families:

• Criminal Penalties (§ 37.152): Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. It becomes a Class A misdemeanor if it causes injury requiring medical treatment, and a State Jail Felony if it causes serious bodily injury or death.
• Organizational Liability (§ 37.153): The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 if it authorized or encouraged the hazing, or if an officer knew and failed to report it.
• Consent is NOT a Defense (§ 37.155): This is critical. Even if a student “agreed” to participate, it is not a defense against hazing charges. The law recognizes the coercive power of peer pressure.
• Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting (§ 37.154): Individuals who report hazing in good faith to university or law enforcement are immune from civil or criminal liability stemming from the report. Many universities also have medical amnesty policies to encourage calling 911.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Two Paths to Accountability

Criminal Cases

• Brought by: The State of Texas (local or county prosecutor).
• Goal: Punishment (jail time, fines, probation).
• Charges: Can include hazing, assault, furnishing alcohol to minors, and in fatal cases, manslaughter.

Civil Cases

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

These cases can proceed simultaneously. A criminal conviction is not required to file a civil lawsuit, and a civil case has a lower burden of proof.

Federal Law Overlay

• The Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges receiving federal aid to report hazing incidents more transparently and strengthen prevention programs. Public reporting will be phased in by 2026.
• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or gender-based hostility, federal Title IX obligations are triggered, providing another avenue for investigation and accountability.
• The Clery Act: Requires universities to disclose campus crime statistics, which can include hazing-related assaults or alcohol crimes.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Civil Hazing Lawsuit?

A thorough investigation aims to identify all responsible parties:

1. Individual Students: Those who planned, carried out, or supplied materials for the hazing.
2. The Local Chapter: The campus organization itself (often an incorporated entity).
3. The National Organization: The fraternity/sorority headquarters that sets policies, collects dues, and supervises chapters. They can be liable for failing to curb known, dangerous traditions.
4. The University: Schools can be sued for negligence if they knew or should have known about the hazing and failed to take corrective action. This includes theories of negligent supervision and, in some cases, violations of Title IX.
5. Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses, alcohol providers (under dram shop laws), or security companies.

National Hazing Case Patterns: The Scripts That Repeat

Tragically, hazing fatalities and severe injuries follow predictable patterns. These national cases are not abstract tragedies; they are blueprints that show how hazing unfolds and establish legal precedents that benefit Texas families.

The Alcohol Poisoning Pattern

• Timothy Piazza – Penn State, Beta Theta Pi (2017): A bid-acceptance night of forced drinking led to fatal falls. Brothers delayed calling 911 for hours, captured on chapter house security cameras. The case resulted in dozens of criminal charges and Pennsylvania’s Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law.
• Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha (2021): A pledge was forced to drink a bottle of liquor during a “Big/Little” night and died of alcohol poisoning. The Foltz family reached a $10 million settlement ($7M from Pi Kappa Alpha national, ~$3M from BGSU). The chapter president was also held personally liable for $6.5 million.
• Max Gruver – LSU, Phi Delta Theta (2017): A “Bible study” drinking game where incorrect answers mandated drinking led to Gruver’s death (BAC 0.495%). The case spurred Louisiana’s Max Gruver Act, creating felony hazing penalties.

Takeaway for Texas Families: The “Big/Little” night, the drinking game, the delay in seeking help—this is a repeated script. When we see it at a Texas school, we know the devastating potential and the legal arguments that hold organizations accountable.

The Physical and Ritualized Hazing Pattern

• Chun “Michael” Deng – Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi (2013): A pledge was blindfolded, weighted down, and repeatedly tackled during a “glass ceiling” ritual at a remote retreat, suffering fatal head injuries. The national fraternity was criminally convicted of assault and manslaughter, a landmark for organizational liability.

Takeaway: Hazing moved off-campus to avoid detection does not absolve liability. Nationals and chapters remain responsible for foreseeable harm during “traditions.”

The Catastrophic Injury Pattern

• Danny Santulli – University of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta (2021): An 18-year-old pledge was forced to drink until his BAC reached 0.468%. He survived but suffered severe, permanent brain damage, leaving him unable to walk, talk, or see, requiring 24/7 care. His family settled with 22 defendants.
• Rafael Joseph – Southern Miss, Omega Psi Phi (2023): A student alleged brutal paddling during “Hell Night” caused injuries so severe they required emergency surgery and months of rehabilitation, leading to a federal lawsuit.

Takeaway: Hazing doesn’t have to be fatal to be life-altering. Courts and juries award significant damages for catastrophic, permanent injuries.

What These Cases Mean for Dalworthington Gardens Families

These national stories demonstrate the common threads: forced consumption, humiliation, violence, delayed medical care, and cover-ups. They show that multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts are possible. They prove that national organizations have been on notice for years about the lethal risks of their “traditions.” When the same patterns emerge at Texas A&M, UT, or TCU, we use this history to prove foreseeability and negligence.

Texas Focus: Universities Serving Dalworthington Gardens Families

Families in Dalworthington Gardens, nestled in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metroplex, send their children to a variety of Texas universities. The hazing risk is not confined to one school or one type of organization. Below, we focus on major universities relevant to our community, starting with those closest to home.

The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)

Campus & Culture Snapshot: As a major public university in the heart of the metroplex, UTA serves many students from Tarrant County, including Dalworthington Gardens. It has a significant commuter population but also maintains active Greek life and student organizations.

Hazing Policy & Reporting: UTA prohibits hazing as defined by Texas law. Reports can be made to the Office of Student Conduct, the Dean of Students, or the UTA Police Department.

Selected Incident & Response: While large public incidents may be less publicized than at flagship schools, hazing risks exist in UTA’s fraternities, sororities, and other groups. The proximity to Dallas-Fort Worth can also see students involved in chapters at other nearby schools. Any hazing case in Tarrant County would likely involve Arlington PD and could be filed in Tarrant County courts.

What UTA Students & Parents in Dalworthington Gardens Should Do: Be aware that hazing is not limited to residential campuses. Document any concerning behaviors and report them through official university channels while also consulting with an attorney to understand all legal options. The statute of limitations and evidence preservation rules apply equally here.

Texas Christian University (TCU)

Campus & Culture Snapshot: Located in Fort Worth, TCU is a prominent private university with a strong Greek life presence and a traditional residential campus atmosphere. Many families in South Tarrant County consider TCU.

Hazing Policy & Reporting: TCU has strict anti-hazing policies and provides reporting mechanisms through the Office of Student Affairs and Campus Police.

Selected Incident & Response: TCU has faced hazing allegations within its Greek system. For example, the Kappa Alpha Order chapter was suspended in 2017 following reports of paddling, forced drinking, and sleep deprivation. Such suspensions indicate recurring problems that national organizations and the university are aware of.

How a TCU Hazing Case Might Proceed: As a private university in Fort Worth, civil suits would typically be filed in Tarrant County courts. Investigations would scrutinize the national fraternity’s knowledge of similar patterns at other chapters and TCU’s enforcement of its own policies.

Texas A&M University

Campus & Culture Snapshot: A flagship university with a deep culture of tradition, including a massive Greek system and the renowned Corps of Cadets. Many Texas families, including those from the DFW area, send their children to College Station.

Hazing Policy & Reporting: A&M prohibits hazing and provides reporting through the Office of Student Conduct and the University Police Department. The Corps has its own additional regulations.

Selected Incidents & Responses:

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) – Chemical Burns Lawsuit (2021): Pledges alleged they were forced to do strenuous activity and then had substances including industrial-strength cleaner, raw eggs, and spit poured on them, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin graft surgeries. The pledges sued for over $1 million; the chapter was suspended.
• Corps of Cadets Lawsuit (2023): A cadet alleged degrading hazing including being bound between beds in a “roasted pig” position with an apple in his mouth. He sought over $1 million in damages.

What A&M Families Should Know: Hazing at A&M exists in both Greek life and the Corps. The university’s traditional culture can sometimes enable a “this is just how it’s done” mentality. Persistent physical and psychological abuse is legally actionable.

University of Texas at Austin

Campus & Culture Snapshot: UT Austin is another top destination for Texas high school graduates, with a vast array of fraternities, sororities, and student organizations.

Hazing Policy & Transparency: UT Austin operates one of the most transparent hazing disclosure systems in the country at hazing.utexas.edu. This public log lists organizations, violations, and sanctions.

Selected Incidents from the Public Log:

• Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): New members were directed to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics. The chapter was placed on probation and required to implement new education.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (Ongoing): The UT SAE chapter has faced litigation, including a 2024 lawsuit from an Australian exchange student who alleged assault at a party, resulting in a dislocated leg, broken nose, and fractures.

Why UT’s Transparency Matters: This public record is a powerful tool for families. It shows patterns of conduct and proves the university had prior knowledge of specific organizations’ dangerous behaviors, which can significantly strengthen a civil lawsuit.

Southern Methodist University (SMU)

Campus & Culture Snapshot: This private Dallas university has a reputation for affluent students and a strong Greek life presence.

Hazing Policy & Reporting: SMU prohibits hazing and offers anonymous reporting tools.

Selected Incident: As noted, the Kappa Alpha Order chapter faced suspension for hazing. SMU’s status as a private institution can make internal disciplinary records harder to access publicly, but they are discoverable in litigation.

Baylor University

Campus & Culture Snapshot: A private Christian university in Waco with significant Greek life and athletic programs.

Hazing Policy & Context: Baylor has a “zero tolerance” policy but has also navigated major institutional scandals related to sexual assault, which informs how it handles misconduct reports.

Selected Incident: In 2020, 14 Baylor baseball players were suspended following a hazing investigation, highlighting that hazing permeates athletic programs as well.

The Bottom Line for Dalworthington Gardens Parents: No Texas university is immune. Whether your child is at a large public school, a private religious university, or a local commuter campus, the dynamics of power, tradition, and secrecy can create an environment where hazing thrives. The legal duty of these institutions is to protect students from foreseeable harm—a duty they often fail to meet.

Fraternities & Sororities: National Histories and Local Liability

The fraternity or sorority letters on a campus house represent a national brand with a history—and often, a documented pattern of misconduct. This history is not just background noise; it is central to building a legal case.

Why National Histories Matter in Court

National fraternity and sorority headquarters create extensive risk management policies precisely because they have paid millions for hazing deaths and injuries across the country. When a chapter at UT, A&M, or TCU repeats the same dangerous “tradition” that caused a death at another school, it demonstrates the national organization had clear notice of the risk but failed to prevent it. This is a core element of negligence.

Key National Organizations with Documented Hazing Patterns

• Pi Kappa Alpha (“Pike”): Responsible for the Stone Foltz ($10M settlement) and David Bogenberger ($14M settlement) deaths. Their “Big/Little” alcohol hazing is a known, lethal pattern.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): One of the deadliest fraternities historically. Facing lawsuits for traumatic brain injury, chemical burns (as at Texas A&M), and assault. Nationally, they eliminated the “pledge” status in 2014 to curb hazing, yet problems persist.
• Phi Delta Theta: The Max Gruver hazing death at LSU led to felony legislation. Their “Bible study” drinking game is a documented hazard.
• Pi Kappa Phi: The Andrew Coffey hazing death at Florida State University. This is the same national fraternity we are currently suing in the Leonel Bermudez UH case.
• Kappa Alpha Order: Faced suspensions at SMU and other campuses for paddling and alcohol hazing.

The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: Mapping the Local Landscape

Our firm maintains a proprietary data engine built from public records to understand the Texas Greek ecosystem. For Dalworthington Gardens families, this means we can immediately identify the network of liable entities behind a local chapter. This includes:

Public Records: Greek Organizations in the DFW Metroplex & Texas
The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area contains over 500 Greek-related organizations per our Cause IQ data. These are not just undergraduate chapters; they include housing corporations, alumni chapters, and educational foundations—all potential sources of liability and insurance. For example, public IRS records show Texas-registered entities like:

• Beta Upsilon Chi Fraternity – EIN 74-2911848, Fort Worth, TX 76244
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc. – EIN 74-1380362, Fort Worth, TX 76147
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity – Lambda Lambda Chapter – EIN 52-1278573, Dallas, TX 75241
• Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. – Sigma Gamma Chapter – EIN 39-2352450, Houston, TX 77254 (This brand also operates in DFW)
• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity – Epsilon Kappa Alumni – EIN 74-6064445, Nederland, TX 77627 (Connected to Lamar University, shows statewide network)

This directory illustrates a critical point: when hazing occurs, there is often a complex web of legally registered organizations behind the scenes. We know how to find them, investigate their relationships, and identify all potential sources of accountability and insurance coverage.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Damages, and Strategy

Pursuing a hazing case requires a meticulous, strategic approach from the outset. This is not a simple car accident claim; it is a complex institutional fight.

Critical Evidence in a Modern Hazing Case

1. Digital Communications: GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord, and fraternity-specific apps are the #1 source of evidence. They show planning, coercion, boasts about the hazing, and attempts to cover it up. Deleted messages can often be recovered through digital forensics.
2. Photos & Videos: Content filmed by members during events, shared in chats, or posted on social media. Security or doorbell camera footage from houses.
3. Internal Organization Documents: Pledge manuals, “tradition” lists, emails from officers, and national fraternity risk management policies.
4. University Records: Prior conduct violations for the same chapter, warning letters, disciplinary reports obtained via discovery or public records requests.
5. Medical Records: ER reports, hospitalization records, lab tests (like creatine kinase levels for rhabdomyolysis), and psychological evaluations diagnosing PTSD, depression, or anxiety.
6. Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, roommates, and bystanders.

Categories of Recoverable Damages

In a civil lawsuit, the law seeks to compensate the victim and family for their losses.

• Economic Damages: Medical bills (past and future), lost wages, costs of psychological care, diminished future earning capacity due to permanent injury.
• Non-Economic Damages: Physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages (if applicable): Funeral costs, loss of financial support, and the family’s grief and loss of companionship.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of extreme recklessness or intentional conduct, courts may award additional damages to punish the defendant and deter future behavior.

The Role of Insurance and Defense Tactics

National fraternities and universities have large insurance policies and experienced defense lawyers. They often employ tactics such as:

• Arguing the victim “consented.”
• Claiming the national organization didn’t know about the local chapter’s “rogue” actions.
• Arguing insurance doesn’t cover “intentional acts” like hazing.
• Dragging out the process to pressure families into lowball settlements.

This is where our firm’s specific experience is decisive. Mr. Lupe Peña, our associate attorney, spent years as an insurance defense attorney at a national firm. He knows exactly how these insurers value claims, fight coverage, and use delay tactics. We use this insider knowledge to counter their strategies and build leverage.

Practical Guides & FAQs for Dalworthington Gardens Families

For Parents: A Step-by-Step Action Plan

Warning Signs Your Child May Be Being Hazed:

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
• Extreme exhaustion, sleep deprivation, or drastic weight change.
• Becoming secretive or defensive about organization activities.
• Personality changes: new anxiety, depression, or withdrawal.
• Constant, anxious phone use related to group chats.
• Sudden academic decline or missing classes for “mandatory” events.

What to Do If You Suspect Hazing:

1. Prioritize Safety & Health: If there is any immediate danger or injury, call 911 and get medical care.
2. Document Everything: Write down what your child tells you. Have them screenshot all relevant digital communications. Photograph injuries.
3. Seek Legal Counsel BEFORE Reporting: Contact a hazing attorney to discuss the strategic implications of reporting to the university or police. We can help you preserve evidence and navigate the process to protect your child’s rights.
4. Do NOT: Confront the organization, sign anything from the university, or post details on social media.

For Students: Is This Hazing? What Are My Rights?

• Ask Yourself: Am I being pressured? Is this dangerous or degrading? Would I do this if I could say no without consequences? Am I being told to keep secrets? If yes, it is likely hazing.
• Your Rights: You have the legal right to leave any organization at any time. Texas law protects those who report hazing in good faith. “Consent” is not a defense for the abusers.
• Exiting Safely: Tell a trusted person outside the group first. You can resign via email/text; you do not owe an in-person explanation. If you fear retaliation, document it and report it to campus authorities and police.

Critical Mistakes That Can Ruin a Hazing Case

1. Deleting Evidence: Instructing your child to “clean up” their phone destroys the case.
2. Confronting the Organization: This triggers evidence destruction and witness coaching.
3. Signing University Agreements: Schools may offer quick “resolutions” that waive your right to sue.
4. Posting on Social Media: Defense attorneys scour social media for inconsistencies.
5. Waiting Too Long: Evidence disappears, witnesses graduate, and the Texas two-year statute of limitations expires.

Short FAQ

“Can we sue a university for hazing in Texas?”
Yes. While public universities have some sovereign immunity, exceptions exist for gross negligence, Title IX violations, and when suing individuals. Private universities like SMU and Baylor have fewer immunity barriers. The specific facts of your case determine the strategy.

“Is hazing a felony in Texas?”
Yes, if it causes serious bodily injury or death, hazing is a state jail felony. Individuals can also face felony charges for other crimes committed during hazing, like aggravated assault.

“My child ‘agreed’ to it. Do we still have a case?”
Absolutely. Texas Education Code § 37.155 explicitly states that consent is not a defense to hazing. The law recognizes the coercive power of peer pressure and initiation rituals.

“How long do we have to file a lawsuit?”
The statute of limitations for personal injury in Texas is generally two years from the date of injury. However, complex rules regarding discovery of injuries and tolling may apply. Do not wait. Call an attorney immediately to preserve your rights.

“Will this be public? I want to protect my child’s privacy.”
Most civil cases settle confidentially before trial. We can petition the court to seal records and always prioritize our clients’ privacy while aggressively pursuing accountability.

About The Manginello Law Firm / Attorney911

When your family faces a hazing crisis, you need more than a general personal injury lawyer. You need attorneys who understand how powerful institutions—universities and national fraternities—fight back, and who have the experience and resources to win anyway. That is what defines Attorney911.

Why We Are Uniquely Qualified for Hazing Litigation

1. Insurance Insider Knowledge – Mr. Lupe Peña’s Background
Mr. Peña, a fluent Spanish-speaking attorney, spent years as a defense attorney at a national insurance defense firm. He learned firsthand how large insurance companies value claims, negotiate settlements, and deploy delay tactics. In hazing cases, where fraternity and university insurers immediately work to deny coverage or minimize payouts, this insider knowledge is invaluable. We know their playbook because we used to run it.

2. Complex Institutional Litigation Experience – Ralph Manginello’s Track Record
Managing Partner Ralph Manginello has over 25 years of experience, including being one of the few Texas firms involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. Taking on a billion-dollar corporation like BP requires the same skill set as suing a major university or a national fraternity with deep pockets and aggressive defense teams. Our firm is admitted to federal court and has a proven record in high-stakes, multi-defendant cases.

3. Multi-Million Dollar Wrongful Death & Catastrophic Injury Results
We have recovered millions for clients in wrongful death and severe injury cases. We work with economists, life-care planners, and medical experts to fully value the lifelong impact of injuries like traumatic brain damage or permanent disability—exactly the types of harm hazing can cause.

4. Dual Civil and Criminal Hazing Capability
Mr. Manginello is a member of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA). This gives us a complete understanding of how criminal hazing charges interact with civil lawsuits. We can effectively advise clients, witnesses, or even former members who may have criminal exposure, ensuring a coordinated legal strategy.

5. The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine
As demonstrated earlier, we don’t start from scratch. We maintain a proprietary database of Texas Greek organizations built from public records. When we take your case, we already know how to identify the housing corporations, alumni associations, and national entities that may share liability.

6. Empathetic, Victim-Centered Advocacy
We know this is one of the most traumatic experiences a family can endure. Our mission is to get you answers, secure the resources needed for recovery, and achieve accountability to prevent this from happening to another student. We fight with compassion and relentless determination.

Call to Action for Dalworthington Gardens Families

If you or your child has experienced hazing at any Texas campus—whether it’s the University of Texas at Arlington here in our metroplex, Texas A&M, UT Austin, or any other school—you have the right to answers and accountability. The path forward can feel overwhelming, but you do not have to walk it alone.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC, for a confidential, no-obligation consultation. We serve families throughout Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, and we are ready to listen to your story.

In your free consultation, we will:

• Listen compassionately to what happened.
• Review any evidence you have gathered.
• Explain your legal options in clear, straightforward terms.
• Discuss the realistic timeline and process.
• Answer all your questions about how we work, including our contingency fee structure—you pay nothing unless we win your case.
• There is no pressure to hire us on the spot.

Take the first step toward accountability and recovery. Call us today.

Attorney911 – The Legal Emergency Lawyers™
Phone: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com | For Spanish-speaking families: lupe@atty911.com

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)
Direct: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com