Texas Hazing Laws and Litigation: A Comprehensive Guide for Comanche County Families

For families in Comanche County, the thought of sending their child off to a Texas university is often filled with excitement and hope for a bright future. They envision academic achievements, new friendships, and personal growth. Yet, for too many, that dream turns into a nightmare when they discover their child has been caught in the dangerous web of hazing.

Imagine this scenario: it’s “initiation night” at an off-campus fraternity house near one of Texas’s prominent universities. A student, perhaps one from our own Comanche County, is being pressured to consume excessive alcohol, endure degrading acts, or perform physically grueling tasks alongside their pledge brothers. Others are filming on phones, chanting, and laughing—a ritualistic performance of perceived loyalty. Suddenly, someone falls, vomits, or collapses. The atmosphere shifts from boisterous confidence to panic. But nobody wants to call 911 because they’re afraid of “getting the chapter shut down” or “getting in trouble” with the university or national organization. The student, injured and afraid, feels trapped between loyalty to the group and their own safety.

This isn’t a rare or isolated incident; it’s a recurring tragedy that plays out on campuses across our state and the nation. And it’s why we’ve created this comprehensive guide.

This article is designed specifically for families in Comanche County and across Texas who need to understand:

• What hazing truly looks like in 2025, far beyond the old stereotypes.
• How Texas and federal law address hazing, providing avenues for both criminal and civil accountability.
• The critical lessons from major national hazing cases, and how these precedents apply to Texas families.
• The patterns and incidents that have occurred at prominent Texas institutions like the University of Houston (UH), Texas A&M University, the University of Texas at Austin (UT), Southern Methodist University (SMU), and Baylor University.
• The legal options available to victims and their families in Comanche County and throughout Texas to pursue justice and accountability.

Please note that this article provides general information and is not a substitute for specific legal advice. Every hazing case is unique, and we encourage you to contact The Manginello Law Firm for a confidential evaluation of your individual circumstances. As a Houston-based firm, we proudly serve families throughout Texas, including those in Comanche County, bringing our expertise directly to where it’s needed most.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES:

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for medical emergencies, especially if your child is unconscious, severely injured, or showing signs of extreme intoxication.
• 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, every action counts:

• Get medical attention immediately, even if the student insists they are “fine.” Prioritize their health and safety above all else.
• Preserve evidence BEFORE it’s deleted:
  • Screenshot all group chats, texts, and direct messages (DMs) immediately.
  • Photograph any injuries from multiple angles, along with any relevant objects or locations.
  • Save any physical items that may be evidence (clothing, receipts for forced purchases, paddles or props).
• Write down everything while your memory is fresh: who was involved, what happened, when and where it occurred, and any specific language used.
• Do NOT:
  • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or organization directly, as this may encourage them to destroy evidence or coach witnesses.
  • Sign anything from the university or an insurance company without legal counsel.
  • Post details on public social media, as this can compromise a future legal case.
  • Allow your child to delete messages or attempt to “clean up” any evidence.

Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24–48 hours:

• Evidence crucial to hazing cases disappears incredibly fast, from deleted group chats and social media posts to destroyed physical items and coached witnesses.
• Universities and organizations often move quickly to control the narrative and conduct internal investigations that may not prioritize victims’ rights.
• We can help preserve evidence and protect your child’s legal rights from the very beginning.
• Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for an immediate and confidential consultation.

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like

For families in Comanche County, the word “hazing” might conjure images of 1980s movies—pranks, forced servitude, or perhaps a mild form of peer pressure. But modern hazing, as seen today on Texas campuses and nationwide, is a far more pervasive, insidious, and often dangerous phenomenon. It has evolved to become more secretive, more psychologically damaging, and, regrettably, deadlier than ever before. It’s imperative that we all understand its true nature.

Hazing is any forced, coerced, or strongly pressured action tied to joining, keeping membership, or gaining status in any student group, where the behavior endangers physical or mental health, humiliates, or exploits. The critical point here is that “I agreed to it” does not automatically make it safe or legal, especially when there is an inherent power imbalance, intense peer pressure, or fear of exclusion.

Main Categories of Hazing: Beyond the Stereotypes

Modern hazing is rarely a single act but rather a systemic pattern of abuse, often escalating over weeks or months. It manifests in several key categories:

• Alcohol and Substance Hazing: This remains the single most common and deadly form of hazing. It involves forcing or coercing new members to consume dangerous quantities of alcohol, participate in binge-drinking challenges, “lineups” (where pledges quickly consume various drinks), or games that mandate rapid drinking. It can also include being pressured to consume unknown, illicit, or mixed substances, leading to alcohol poisoning, overdose, and death.

• Physical Hazing: Far from harmless roughhousing, physical hazing involves acts intended to inflict pain, exhaustion, or injury. This includes:

  • Paddling and Beatings: From blunt force trauma to specific body parts to full-body assaults.
  • Extreme Calisthenics: Known as “workouts” or “smokings,” these are forced physical activities pushed far beyond safe limits, often designed to induce exhaustion or collapse.
  • Sleep, Food, and Water Deprivation: Deliberately denying new members adequate rest, nutrition, or hydration for extended periods, leading to severe health complications.
  • Exposure to Extremes: Forcing pledges outdoors in extreme cold or heat, or confining them to dangerous, unsanitary, or extremely uncomfortable environments.

• Sexualized and Humiliating Hazing: These acts are deeply degrading and often leave lasting psychological scars. They include:

  • Forced Nudity or Partial Nudity: Stripping new members, often in front of others.
  • Simulated Sexual Acts: Coercing pledges into performing or mimicking sexual acts or positions (e.g., “roasted pig,” “elephant walk”).
  • Degrading Costumes: Forcing the wearing of embarrassing outfits.
  • Racial or Sexist Overtones: Acts with explicit racial, homophobic, or sexist slurs, or forced role-play that demeans identity.

• Psychological Hazing: This category is often overlooked but profoundly damaging. It chips away at a new member’s self-worth and autonomy, creating an environment of fear and anxiety. Examples include:

  • Verbal Abuse and Threats: Constant yelling, screaming, insults, belittling, and threatening language.
  • Isolation and Manipulation: Cutting off contact with external support systems or using psychological tactics to control behavior and thought.
  • Public Shaming: Forcing new members into embarrassing public acts or humiliating them on social media or in group meetings.

• Digital/Online Hazing: This is the newest and rapidly evolving frontier of hazing. With ubiquitous smartphone use, hazing has migrated into the digital realm, making it harder to track and report:

  • Group Chat Dares and “Challenges”: Coercing new members into risky or humiliating acts via GroupMe, WhatsApp, Discord, or other messaging apps.
  • Social Media Humiliation: Forcing pledges to post embarrassing content, participate in degrading TikTok videos, or endure public shaming on Instagram, Snapchat, or other platforms.
  • Pressure to Share Compromising Media: Requiring new members to create or distribute sexually explicit or otherwise compromising images/videos.
  • 24/7 Digital Control: Constant demands for instant responses to group messages, often late at night, leading to severe sleep deprivation.
  • Location Tracking: Requiring pledges to share their live location via apps like Find My Friends or Life360, under constant surveillance.

Where Hazing Actually Happens: Not Just “Frat Boys”

While fraternities and sororities (across IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, and multicultural councils) are frequently linked to hazing incidents, the problem extends far beyond Greek life. Hazing is a pervasive issue found in:

• Corps of Cadets / ROTC / Military-Style Groups: At institutions like Texas A&M, the intense hierarchical structure can sometimes devolve into abusive “traditions.”
• Spirit Squads and Tradition Clubs: Groups dedicated to school spirit or long-standing campus traditions, such as the Texas Cowboys at UT, have faced hazing allegations.
• Athletic Teams: From football and basketball to baseball, cheerleading, and soccer, hazing can occur across various sports, often disguised as “team building” or “conditioning.”
• Marching Bands and Performance Groups: Even organizations focused on the performing arts, such as Florida A&M’s marching band, have been the site of brutal hazing incidents.
• Service, Cultural, and Academic Organizations: Any group that involves initiation, hierarchy, or deep bonds can become a breeding ground for hazing.

The common threads are social status, tradition, power dynamics, and secrecy, which unfortunately allow these abusive practices to continue, often under the guise of “character building” or “brotherhood/sisterhood,” even when everyone involved “knows” hazing is illegal and dangerous. For families in Comanche County, it’s critical to understand that hazing can affect students in almost any university organization.

Law & Liability Framework (Texas + Federal)

For Comanche County families navigating the trauma of hazing, understanding the legal landscape is a crucial step toward seeking justice. Texas has a robust legal framework addressing hazing, supplemented by federal statutes that underscore institutional accountability.

Texas Hazing Law Basics (Education Code)

Under Texas law—which applies to all universities within the state, including any that your children from Comanche County might attend—hazing is explicitly prohibited. The Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F, defines hazing quite broadly:

Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, on or off campus, by one person alone or with others, directed against a student, that:

• Endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, OR
• Occurs for the purpose of pledging, initiation into, affiliation with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in any organization whose members include students.

In plain English: If someone makes your child do something dangerous, harmful (physically or mentally), or degrading to join or stay in a student group, and they did so intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly (meaning they knew the risk and did it anyway), that is hazing under Texas law.

Key aspects of Texas hazing law include:

• Location Doesn’t Matter: Hazing can happen on or off campus; the law applies regardless of where the acts occur. This is crucial for incidents at private residences, Airbnbs, or remote locations.
• Mental or Physical Harm: The law recognizes both physical injuries and psychological trauma as actionable harm.
• “Consent” is Not a Defense: Texas Education Code § 37.155 explicitly states that it is not a defense to prosecution for hazing that the person being hazed consented to the activity. This is vital because many perpetrators wrongly claim the victim agreed to it. Courts understand that “consent” given under duress, peer pressure, or fear of exclusion is not true consent.

Criminal Penalties

Texas hazing law carries significant criminal consequences:

• Class B Misdemeanor (default): For hazing that does not cause serious bodily injury (punishable by up to 180 days in jail and/or a fine up to $2,000).
• Class A Misdemeanor: If the hazing causes bodily injury requiring medical attention.
• State Jail Felony: If the hazing causes serious bodily injury or death. This means individuals involved in severe hazing incidents could face state jail time.

Additionally:

• Failing to Report: If you are a student, faculty member, or university employee and you know about hazing but fail to report it, you could face misdemeanor charges.
• Retaliation: Retaliating against someone who reports hazing is also a misdemeanor offense.

Organizational Liability

Student organizations themselves can face criminal prosecution for hazing if:

• The organization authorized or encouraged the hazing, OR
• An officer or member acting in an official capacity knew about the hazing and failed to report it.
  Penalties for organizations can include fines up to $10,000 per violation and institutional sanctions such as revocation of university recognition. This highlights that accountability extends beyond individuals to the groups involved.

Reporter Protections

Texas law offers some protections for those who come forward. A person who in good faith reports a hazing incident to university authorities or law enforcement is immune from civil or criminal liability stemming from that report. Furthermore, in medical emergencies, Texas law and university policies often provide amnesty for students who call 911 for help, even if underage drinking or other infractions were involved.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Two Paths to Justice

It’s important for Comanche County families to understand that justice for hazing victims can be pursued through two distinct legal avenues:

• Criminal Cases: These are brought by the state (prosecutors) against individuals or organizations accused of violating hazing laws or other related crimes. The goal of a criminal case is punishment—fines, jail time, or probation. Common hazing-related criminal charges can include hazing offenses, furnishing alcohol to minors, assault, battery, and even manslaughter in cases resulting in death.
• Civil Cases: These are brought by victims or their surviving family members (plaintiffs) against the individuals, organizations, and institutions responsible for the hazing. The aim of a civil case is to seek monetary compensation for the harm suffered (e.g., medical bills, pain and suffering, lost income) and to hold those responsible accountable. Civil claims often involve theories of negligence, gross negligence, wrongful death, negligent hiring/supervision, premises liability, and emotional distress.

Crucially, a criminal conviction is not required to pursue a civil case. The burden of proof is lower in civil court, and it is often possible to succeed in a civil claim even if criminal charges are not filed or do not result in a conviction. Both types of cases can run concurrently, providing multiple avenues for justice.

Federal Overlay: Stop Campus Hazing Act, Title IX, Clery

Beyond Texas state law, federal regulations also play a role in addressing hazing, particularly at institutions receiving federal funding:

• Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): This landmark federal legislation mandates that colleges and universities receiving federal financial aid must:

  • Transparently report hazing incidents and related disciplinary actions.
  • Strengthen hazing education and prevention efforts.
  • Maintain and make public hazing data, similar to existing campus crime statistics. These new requirements are being phased in by approximately 2026, aiming to provide greater transparency and accountability.

• Title IX / Clery Act:

  • Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment, sexual assault, gender-based discrimination, or creates a hostile environment based on sex, Title IX obligations—which prohibit sex-based discrimination in educational programs—can be triggered.
  • Clery Act: This federal law requires colleges to report campus crime statistics and to maintain certain safety disclosures. Hazing incidents involving assaults, sexual misconduct, or significant alcohol/drug crimes often fall under Clery reporting requirements, providing another layer of institutional transparency.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Civil Hazing Lawsuit?

Civil hazing lawsuits can be complex, often involving multiple parties responsible for the harm. For Comanche County families seeking to hold those accountable, potential defendants can include:

• Individual Students: The students who actively planned, organized, carried out, or participated in the hazing acts, or who supplied alcohol/drugs to minors.
• Local Chapter / Organization: The specific fraternity, sorority, club, or team itself, particularly if it operates as a legal entity. This also includes individual officers or “pledge educators” who were in positions of leadership or direct supervision.
• National Fraternity/Sorority: The national headquarters that charters and oversees local chapters. Their liability can arise if they knew or should have known about a pattern of hazing, failed to enforce their own anti-hazing policies, or provided inadequate oversight.
• University or Governing Board: The educational institution itself, including its administrators and employees. Public universities (like UH, Texas A&M, UT) often claim sovereign immunity (protection from lawsuits), but exceptions can apply in cases of gross negligence, Title IX violations, or when suing individual employees in their personal capacity. Private universities (like SMU, Baylor) generally have fewer immunity protections.
• Third Parties: This can include landlords or owners of off-campus houses or event spaces where hazing occurred, bars or alcohol vendors that illegally served minors (under Texas dram shop laws), and even security companies or event organizers who failed in their duty to ensure safety.

Every case is highly fact-specific; not every potential party is liable in every situation. An experienced hazing attorney can thoroughly investigate and identify all responsible parties to ensure maximum accountability.

National Hazing Case Patterns (Anchor Stories)

The tragic hazing incidents that capture national headlines often share chilling similarities. These landmark cases, some resulting in multi-million-dollar settlements and significant legal reform, establish crucial precedents. For Comanche County families, understanding these patterns is essential, as they illuminate the legal landscape shaping hazing litigation right here in Texas.

Alcohol Poisoning & Death: A Repeating Tragedy

Forced and excessive alcohol consumption remains the leading cause of hazing fatalities. The scripts often vary slightly, but the outcome is predictably devastating.

• Timothy Piazza – Penn State, Beta Theta Pi (February 2017): In one of the most publicized hazing deaths, 19-year-old Timothy Piazza tragically died after a “bid acceptance” event. Pledges were forced through a “gauntlet” of drinking stations, consuming dangerous amounts of alcohol. Piazza fell repeatedly, suffering traumatic brain injuries, while fraternity brothers delayed calling for help for nearly 12 hours. The incident, partly captured on the house’s security cameras, led to dozens of criminal charges against fraternity members, extensive civil litigation, and the passing of the landmark Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law in Pennsylvania. This case starkly highlighted how extreme intoxication, a deliberate delay in calling 911, and a pervasive culture of silence can lead to devastating legal consequences for individuals and institutions.

• Andrew Coffey – Florida State, Pi Kappa Phi (November 2017): During a “Big Brother Night” event, 20-year-old Andrew Coffey was forced to consume an entire handle of liquor. He was found unresponsive the next morning and died from acute alcohol poisoning. Multiple criminal hazing charges were brought against members, and FSU temporarily suspended all Greek life, overhauling its oversight policies. Coffey’s death, much like Piazza’s, underscored that formulaic “tradition” drinking nights are a repeating script for disaster, often involving pledges being compelled to drink far beyond their limits.

• Maxwell “Max” Gruver – Louisiana State University (LSU), Phi Delta Theta (September 2017): 18-year-old Max Gruver died with a blood alcohol content of 0.495% after participating in a “Bible study” drinking game. Pledges were forced to answer questions about the fraternity; incorrect answers resulted in being made to drink massive amounts of alcohol. Gruver’s death led directly to the enactment of the Max Gruver Act in Louisiana, making hazing a felony offense. This case powerfully demonstrates how legislative change—and more stringent penalties—often follows public outrage and clear proof of systematic hazing practices.

• Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State University, Pi Kappa Alpha (March 2021): 20-year-old Stone Foltz was forced to consume nearly an entire bottle of whiskey during a “Big/Little” pledge night. He died from alcohol poisoning days later. The incident resulted in multiple criminal convictions for fraternity members, and the public university, Bowling Green State, agreed to pay the family a nearly $3 million settlement. Additional multi-million-dollar settlements were reached with the national fraternity and other individuals, bringing the total recovery to $10 million. The Foltz case demonstrated that universities, even public ones, can face significant financial and reputational consequences alongside the fraternities involved, often settling to avoid trial and massive jury awards.

Physical & Ritualized Hazing: The Brutal Reality

Beyond alcohol, physically aggressive and ritualized hazing continues to cause severe injury and death.

• Chun “Michael” Deng – Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi (December 2013): During a fraternity retreat in the Pocono Mountains, 19-year-old Michael Deng was blindfolded, weighted with a heavy backpack, and repeatedly tackled during a ritual known as “glass ceiling.” He suffered a fatal traumatic brain injury, and, tragically, help was delayed by fraternity members. This harrowing incident led to multiple criminal convictions, including an unprecedented criminal conviction of the national fraternity itself for aggravated assault and involuntary manslaughter. Pi Delta Psi was banned from operating in Pennsylvania for 10 years and fined over $110,000. This case was a landmark, showing that off-campus “retreats” where hazing is intentionally hidden from university oversight can be as dangerous or even more deadly than on-campus events, and national organizations can be held criminally liable for their negligence.

Athletic Program Hazing & Abuse: Beyond Greek Life

Hazing is not exclusive to fraternities and sororities; it is a pervasive issue in many high-bond, hierarchical organizations, including collegiate athletics.

• Northwestern University Football (2023–2025): In a scandal that rocked collegiate sports, former Northwestern football players alleged widespread sexualized and racist hazing within the program over multiple years. The incidents reportedly included forced naked “dry humping” and other sexually abusive acts in dark showers. This led to multiple civil lawsuits against the university and coaching staff. Head coach Pat Fitzgerald was fired and later confidentially settled a wrongful-termination lawsuit. The Northwestern scandal underscored that hazing extends far beyond Greek life, with major athletic programs, often with significant financial implications and public profiles, capable of harboring systemic abuse that can lead to significant legal exposure for universities.

What These Cases Mean for Texas Families in Comanche County

The common threads running through these national tragedies are stark and undeniable: forced drinking to dangerous levels, physical violence, mental and emotional intimidation, profound humiliation, deliberate delays in providing medical care, and systematic cover-ups.

These national cases are not just distant news stories; they establish critical precedents that directly impact how hazing cases are pursued and litigated in Texas. The multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts in these cases reflect a growing societal intolerance for hazing and a legal system increasingly willing to hold individuals and institutions accountable. For Comanche County families whose children attend universities like UH, Texas A&M, UT Austin, SMU, or Baylor, these national lessons provide important context and demonstrate the serious legal avenues available to pursue justice. You are not alone, and there is a path to accountability guided by these national examples.

Texas Focus: UH, Texas A&M, UT, SMU, Baylor

Families across Comanche County understand the importance of higher education and the draw of Texas’s flagship universities. UH, Texas A&M, UT Austin, SMU, and Baylor are institutions of pride, academic excellence, and vibrant student life. However, like many universities nationwide, they also contend with the persistent and dangerous problem of hazing within their student organizations.

Our firm is based in Houston, a central hub for legal action and a community with strong ties to all these major universities, including those important to Comanche County families. Students from Comanche County might find themselves at virtually any of these schools, and understanding the specific culture, policies, and incident history of each institution is vital. While Comanche County itself is some distance from these major campuses, the legal avenues and critical need for experienced counsel remain the same for families seeking justice for hazing.

Here, we provide a focused look at each of these five prominent Texas universities.

5.1 University of Houston (UH)

5.1.1 Campus & Culture Snapshot

The University of Houston, located in the heart of the nation’s fourth-largest city, is a large, diverse urban campus with a rich blend of commuter and residential students. Its Greek life is robust and active, comprising fraternities and sororities across Interfraternity Council (IFC), Panhellenic Council (HPC), Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), and National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC). Beyond Greek life, UH boasts a wide range of student organizations, including cultural groups, sports clubs, and academic societies, all fostering a dynamic campus environment.

5.1.2 Official Hazing Policy & Reporting Channels

The University of Houston maintains a strict anti-hazing policy, clearly articulated in its Student Handbook and on its website. UH’s policy prohibits hazing whether it occurs on-campus or off-campus, consistent with Texas state law. It explicitly forbids forced consumption of alcohol, food, or unauthorized substances, sleep deprivation, physical mistreatment, mental distress, and any other activity that endangers a student’s mental or physical health for the purpose of initiation or affiliation. UH provides multiple avenues for reporting hazing, including the Dean of Students’ office, the Office of Student Conduct, and the University of Houston Police Department (UHPD). Some disciplinary information regarding student organizations is made public on the university’s Greek Life and student conduct websites.

5.1.3 Selected Documented Incidents & Responses

UH has faced its share of hazing allegations and incidents that illustrate the university’s challenges in enforcing its policies:

• 2016 Pi Kappa Alpha Case: In a highly publicized incident, pledges of the Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike) fraternity were allegedly subjected to a multi-day event that involved severe sleep, food, and water deprivation. The hazing culminated in one student suffering a lacerated spleen after being violently slammed onto a surface. The local chapter faced misdemeanor hazing charges, and the university imposed a significant suspension.
• Ongoing Disciplinary Actions: Various fraternities and sororities at UH have faced disciplinary actions, including suspensions and probationary periods, for conduct involving alcohol misuse, physical and mental hazing, and other policy violations. While public detail varies, these actions highlight the university’s role in addressing recurring issues within its student organizations.

These incidents underscore UH’s stated willingness to suspend chapters found in violation of hazing policies, though navigating the nuances of public disciplinary records can sometimes be challenging for families seeking specific details.

5.1.4 How a UH Hazing Case Might Proceed

For a hazing incident involving a student from Comanche County at the University of Houston, various agencies could become involved depending on the nature and location of the incident:

• Law Enforcement: The University of Houston Police Department (UHPD) would have primary jurisdiction for incidents on campus, while the Houston Police Department (HPD) would be involved for incidents occurring off-campus within city limits.
• Civil Suits: Civil lawsuits related to hazing at UH would typically be filed in state or federal courts with jurisdiction over Houston and Harris County. These courts are well-versed in personal injury and wrongful death claims that arise from such incidents.
• Potential Defendants: In a civil action, potential defendants could include the individual students directly involved, the local chapter itself, the national fraternity or sorority organization, potentially the University of Houston, and any property owners or third parties involved.

5.1.5 What UH Students & Parents Should Do

• Understanding Reporting Channels: If you suspect hazing, utilize UH’s official reporting channels, including the Dean of Students, the Office of Student Conduct, the Office of Equal Opportunity Services (for discrimination/harassment), or UHPD. Online anonymous reporting forms are also typically available.
• Documenting Incidents: Carefully document any prior complaints or known past incidents involving the specific organization. Such records can be crucial in demonstrating a pattern of behavior and the university’s or national’s knowledge of the issue.
• Seeking Legal Counsel: For families from Comanche County grappling with hazing at UH, talking to a lawyer experienced in Houston-based hazing cases is essential. Our firm can help you navigate the university’s processes, which can be complex and sometimes adversarial, and work to uncover prior disciplinary actions and internal files that may not be readily accessible to the public.

5.2 Texas A&M University

5.2.1 Campus & Culture Snapshot

Texas A&M University, located in College Station, boasts a deeply-rooted culture defined by strong traditions, unwavering loyalty, and the iconic Corps of Cadets. It supports a vast and diverse student body, fostering an environment where Greek life, clubs, and athletic teams all play significant roles. The Corps of Cadets, in particular, emphasizes a military-style discipline and a strong sense of brotherhood, which, while beneficial in many aspects, has also been a historical site of hazing concerns. Many Comanche County families have strong ties to Texas A&M, making hazing incidents here particularly salient.

5.2.2 Official Hazing Policy & Reporting Channels

Texas A&M’s anti-hazing policy is rigorous, applying to all student organizations, including those off-campus. The policy strictly prohibits any action that could endanger physical or mental health, regardless of a student’s “consent.” This explicitly includes physical abuse, forced consumption of substances, sleep deprivation, and psychological torment. Students and parents can report hazing to the Dean of Student Life, the Texas A&M University Police Department (UPD), or via anonymous online reporting tools. The university is legally mandated to provide anti-hazing education and publish compliance information.

5.2.3 Selected Documented Incidents & Responses

Texas A&M has faced a number of significant hazing incidents:

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Chemical Burns Lawsuit (around 2021): In a harrowing incident, two pledges of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity alleged they were subjected to brutal hazing during which industrial-strength cleaner, raw eggs, and other substances were poured on them. This resulted in severe chemical burns requiring extensive skin graft surgeries. The university suspended the SAE chapter for two years, and the pledges filed a $1 million lawsuit against the fraternity and individuals. This case vividly illustrates the extreme physical dangers of modern hazing tactics.

• Corps of Cadets Hazing Allegations (2023): A former cadet filed a lawsuit alleging degrading and sexually explicit hazing within the Corps. The allegations included forced simulated sexual acts and being bound in a “roasted pig” pose with an apple in his mouth. The lawsuit, seeking over $1 million, brought renewed scrutiny to the Corps’ traditions. Texas A&M responded by stating it had addressed the matter through its internal conduct processes, but such incidents highlight the ongoing challenge in tradition-heavy organizations.

These cases, particularly the Corps incident, demonstrate that civil lawsuits can target both Greek life and deeply ingrained university traditions, seeking substantial compensation and accountability.

5.2.4 How a Texas A&M Hazing Case Might Proceed

For a hazing incident involving a student from Comanche County at Texas A&M, law enforcement and legal proceedings would likely involve:

• Law Enforcement: The Texas A&M University Police Department (UPD) would typically investigate on-campus incidents, while the College Station Police Department or Bryan Police Department would handle off-campus occurrences in the twin cities.
• Civil Suits: Lawsuits would generally be filed in state or federal courts within Brazos County, which encompasses College Station. Given Texas A&M’s status as a public university, sovereign immunity issues may be raised, but exceptions exist, particularly in cases of gross negligence or when individual actors are sued.
• Specific Considerations: Cases involving the Corps of Cadets often involve unique aspects of military-style training and institutional oversight, which seasoned hazing attorneys specializing in institutional liability understand.

5.2.5 What Texas A&M Students & Parents Should Do

• Understand Reporting: Utilize the Dean of Student Life, UPD, or anonymous reporting mechanisms. For Corps-specific incidents, there are often dedicated reporting channels within the Corps leadership.
• Document Everything: Given the emphasis on secrecy and tradition, meticulous documentation (screenshots of GroupMe, photos of injuries, witness statements) is paramount.
• Legal Strategy: For Comanche County families whose children attend Texas A&M, consulting an attorney experienced in hazing litigation is crucial. Our firm can help navigate the complexities of A&M’s campus culture, particularly concerning the Corps, and challenge potential claims of sovereign immunity to seek full accountability.

5.3 University of Texas at Austin (UT)

5.3.1 Campus & Culture Snapshot

The University of Texas at Austin is the flagship institution of the Texas university system, known for its academic prowess, vibrant campus life, and deep-seated traditions. Situated in the capital city, UT-Austin is home to an enormous student population and an extensive Greek system, including numerous fraternities and sororities from IFC, Panhellenic, Texas Asian Pan-Hellenic Council (TAPC), Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), and NPHC. Its spirit organizations, deeply integrated into UT culture, also draw significant student involvement. Students from Comanche County often matriculate to UT, bringing with them the hopes of a premier education.

5.3.2 Official Hazing Policy & Reporting Channels

The University of Texas at Austin maintains a strong and transparent anti-hazing policy, clearly defining prohibited activities and outlining consequences. UT’s policy aligns with state law, covering both on- and off-campus incidents and emphasizing that consent is not a defense. UT distinguishes itself by maintaining a publicly accessible Hazing Violation Search page on its website (hazing.utexas.edu). This public database lists organizations, dates of violation, detailed descriptions of misconduct, and the resultant sanctions. Reporting channels include the Dean of Students, the Office of Student Conduct, the University of Texas Police Department (UTPD), and anonymous online forms.

5.3.3 Selected Documented Incidents & Responses

UT Austin’s public hazing database provides invaluable transparency, though it also reveals recurring challenges:

• Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike, 2023): The UT chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike), a fraternity with a troubled national history of hazing deaths, was sanctioned for hazing. Pledges were reportedly directed to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics, among other activities. This resulted in the chapter being placed on probation and mandated to implement new hazing-prevention education.
• Texas Wranglers (2018): This university-sponsored spirit organization faced sanctions after new members were reportedly forced to engage in physically demeaning and abusive workouts.
• Other Organizations: The public database includes multiple entries across various Greek and non-Greek organizations for violations ranging from alcohol misuse and forced calisthenics to psychological torment and degrading activities.

These publicly documented incidents, while demonstrating UT’s commitment to transparency, also highlight that hazing remains a persistent issue despite public scrutiny and policy enforcement.

5.3.4 How a UT Hazing Case Might Proceed

For a Comanche County student involved in a hazing incident at UT Austin:

• Law Enforcement: The University of Texas Police Department (UTPD) handles on-campus incidents, while the Austin Police Department (APD) covers off-campus occurrences within Austin city limits.
• Civil Suits: Civil lawsuits would typically be filed in state or federal courts within Travis County, which includes Austin. As a public university, specific legal theories would be employed to address any claims of sovereign immunity from the University of Texas System.
• Leveraging Data: UT’s public hazing database (hazing.utexas.edu) is a unique and powerful tool. Prior violations listed in this database can strongly support civil lawsuits by demonstrating a pattern of misconduct and the university’s knowledge of these issues, bolstering arguments for institutional negligence.

5.3.5 What UT Students & Parents Should Do

• Consult the Public Database: Families from Comanche County should be proactive by reviewing UT’s hazing database (hazing.utexas.edu) to understand the track record of any organization their child might join.
• Report Strategically: Utilize UT’s various reporting channels. If a crime has occurred, reporting to UTPD or APD is crucial.
• Immediate Legal Counsel: Given UT’s size and the potential for a complex legal process, immediate consultation with a hazing attorney is vital. Our firm can help evaluate the information in UT’s public records, navigate university investigations, and prepare a strong legal strategy to pursue justice.

5.4 Southern Methodist University (SMU)

5.4.1 Campus & Culture Snapshot

Southern Methodist University, a private institution nestled in an affluent Dallas neighborhood, is renowned for its academic rigor and a vibrant, often prominent, Greek life. SMU’s Panhellenic Council and Interfraternity Council host numerous fraternities and sororities, contributing to a campus culture that heavily integrates Greek life into its social fabric. Students from Comanche County often attend SMU, drawn by its prestige and strong academic programs.

5.4.2 Official Hazing Policy & Reporting Channels

SMU maintains a comprehensive anti-hazing policy that strictly prohibits any form of hazing, both on and off campus. The university’s policy, enforced by the Office of the Dean of Students, emphasizes that hazing includes any act that causes or is likely to cause mental or physical harm, discomfort, indignity, or embarrassment, regardless of “consent.” SMU encourages reporting through its Dean of Students’ office, the Office of Student Conduct, and its specific online reporting forms, including an anonymous system (e.g., Real Response).

5.4.3 Selected Documented Incidents & Responses

SMU has taken disciplinary action against fraternities for hazing, though, as a private university, its public disclosure of specific incidents may be less detailed than some public institutions:

• Kappa Alpha Order Incident (2017): The Kappa Alpha Order fraternity chapter at SMU faced severe sanctions following allegations of hazing that included forced excessive alcohol consumption, physical abuse (paddling), and sleep deprivation. The chapter was suspended and prohibited from recruiting for an extended period, reflecting the university’s response to serious violations.
• Other Greek Life Sanctions: SMU’s Department of Student Affairs regularly updates a list of organizations currently under disciplinary sanction, often for hazing-related offenses, which can include probation, deferred loss of recognition, or suspensions.

These incidents highlight SMU’s efforts to address hazing, but the private nature of the university means that details of specific incidents and their resolutions are often less transparent than at public universities.

5.4.4 How an SMU Hazing Case Might Proceed

For a Comanche County student involved in a hazing incident at SMU:

• Law Enforcement: The SMU Police Department would have jurisdiction for incidents on campus. For off-campus incidents, the Dallas Police Department would be the primary law enforcement agency.
• Civil Suits: Civil lawsuits would typically be filed in state or federal courts within Dallas County. As a private university, SMU generally does not have the same sovereign immunity protections as public institutions, which can simplify some aspects of civil litigation from the plaintiff’s perspective.
• Disclosure: Pursuing a civil case can be a critical path to compelling the disclosure of internal university documents and witness testimony that might not otherwise be made public.

5.4.5 What SMU Students & Parents Should Do

• Utilize SMU’s Reporting: Ensure any suspected hazing is reported through the Dean of Students’ office or the SMU Police Department.
• Understand Discipline Records: While details may be limited, SMU usually provides public notices of organizational sanctions, which can be important for proving a history of misconduct.
• Engage Legal Experts: For families from Comanche County, navigating a private university like SMU requires experienced legal counsel. Our firm understands how to pursue accountability against private institutions, compelled by the fact-finding power of civil discovery to uncover crucial evidence and reveal patterns of negligence.

5.5 Baylor University

5.5.1 Campus & Culture Snapshot

Baylor University, a private Baptist university in Waco, Texas, is defined by its Christian mission, strong academic programs, and deeply held traditions. Its campus culture fosters a close-knit community, with a significant presence of fraternities, sororities (Panhellenic, IFC, NPHC, MGC), and athletic teams. Baylor’s history includes periods of intense scrutiny regarding institutional oversight, particularly in the wake of the 2016 sexual assault scandal, which has shaped its approach to student safety and accountability. Many Comanche County residents send their children to Baylor, valuing its unique blend of faith and scholarship.

5.5.2 Official Hazing Policy & Reporting Channels

Baylor University has a “zero tolerance” policy for hazing, clearly articulated in its Student Code of Conduct. Its policies strictly prohibit any activity that involves physical or mental stress, degradation, or endangerment of students, regardless of intent or “consent.” Baylor’s policies are particularly strict regarding alcohol, in line with its Baptist affiliation. Reporting channels include the Department of Student Activities, the Baylor University Police Department (BUPD), and an ethics hotline. The university emphasizes its commitment to upholding a safe and respectful campus environment.

5.5.3 Selected Documented Incidents & Responses

Baylor has faced hazing incidents across various organizations, often set against a backdrop of heightened institutional scrutiny:

• Baylor Baseball Hazing (2020): An investigation into hazing allegations within the Baylor baseball program led to the suspension of 14 players. The suspensions were staggered across the early season, impacting team performance. This incident highlighted that hazing issues at Baylor extend beyond Greek life into athletic teams, demonstrating that a “zero tolerance” policy requires consistent enforcement and may impact high-profile programs.
• Fraternity Disciplinary Actions: Various fraternities at Baylor have been placed on probation or suspended for violations related to hazing, including alcohol misuse and forced activities that endanger student welfare.

These incidents, combined with Baylor’s broader history of institutional oversight challenges, underscore the complex environment in which hazing claims at the university are evaluated.

5.5.4 How a Baylor Hazing Case Might Proceed

For a hazing incident involving a Comanche County student at Baylor University:

• Law Enforcement: The Baylor University Police Department (BUPD) has jurisdiction on campus, while the Waco Police Department would handle off-campus incidents within Waco city limits.
• Civil Suits: Civil lawsuits would generally be filed in state or federal courts within McLennan County, which includes Waco. As a private university, Baylor does not benefit from sovereign immunity, making the path to civil litigation potentially more direct than with public universities.
• Institutional Context: Given Baylor’s unique history and the extensive reforms it implemented around institutional accountability in the wake of its sexual assault scandal, any hazing case would be viewed through that lens, potentially emphasizing Baylor’s enhanced duty of care and commitment to student safety.

5.5.5 What Baylor Students & Parents Should Do

• Report Promptly: Utilizing Baylor’s reporting mechanisms, including the Department of Student Activities or BUPD, is crucial. Ensure all incidents are formally documented.
• Understand the “Zero Tolerance” Policy: While strong policies are important, families should monitor how those policies are enforced in practice.
• Seek Experienced Legal Guidance: For Comanche County families whose children attend Baylor, engaging a legal firm experienced in institutional accountability, especially against private universities with significant resources, is highly advisable. Our expertise allows us to understand the interplay between Baylor’s stated policies, its campus culture, and its legal obligations to protect students.

Fraternities & Sororities: Campus-Specific + National Histories

The hazing that occurs on campuses like UH, Texas A&M, UT Austin, SMU, and Baylor is rarely a phenomenon unique to that specific chapter. Most fraternities and sororities, whether a part of the Interfraternity Council (IFC), Collegiate Panhellenic Council (CPC), National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), or other umbrella organizations, are part of much larger national entities. Understanding these national histories and how they intersect with local chapter conduct is a cornerstone of proving institutional liability in hazing cases.

Why National Histories Matter

When a student from Comanche County is hazed at a Texas university, we don’t just look at what happened in that specific instance at that local chapter. We investigate the history of the national organization. Why?

• Foreseeability: National organizations develop thick anti-hazing manuals, create “risk management” policies, and offer regular anti-hazing training because they have a painful history of seeing—and responding to—hazing deaths and catastrophic injuries at their chapters across the country. They know the patterns: the forced drinking nights, the ritualized paddling, the degrading acts that recur year after year.
• Pattern Evidence: If a Texas chapter repeats the same dangerous “tradition” that led to a lawsuit or chapter closure in another state, this demonstrates a pattern of conduct. It strongly argues that the national organization had prior notice of the risks associated with this specific type of hazing and often failed to prevent it. This “pattern evidence” is incredibly powerful in supporting claims of negligence or even gross negligence against national entities.
• Policy vs. Practice: National organizations frequently argue, “We have strong anti-hazing policies, and our local chapter violated them. This is not our fault.” However, an experienced hazing attorney can uncover whether those policies were truly enforced, or if they were merely “paper policies” designed to shield the national organization from liability while hazing continued unchecked.

Organization Mapping (Synthesized)

Many of the fraternities and sororities on Texas campuses have national counterparts that have faced significant hazing-related litigation or disciplinary action. Below, we highlight some of these organizations and their documented national hazing incidents, to demonstrate the recurring nature of these issues and their implications for Texas families from Comanche County.

Pi Kappa Alpha (ΠΚΑ / Pike)

• Presence: Active at UH, Texas A&M, UT Austin, and Baylor.
• National History: Pi Kappa Alpha has a deeply troubling national history of severe hazing incidents, particularly those involving extreme alcohol consumption during “Big/Little” events.
  • Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State University, 2021): As discussed, this incident involved a pledge forced to consume an entire bottle of whiskey, leading to his death and a $10 million settlement for his family. This case is a prime example of Pike’s recurring involvement in alcohol-related hazing deaths.
  • David Bogenberger (Northern Illinois University, 2012): Another pledge died from alcohol poisoning after a fraternity event, resulting in a $14 million settlement for his family, split among numerous members.
  • Legal Impact: These and other incidents demonstrate a clear pattern of dangerous alcohol hazing within Pi Kappa Alpha, making it challenging for the national organization to claim ignorance or lack of foreseeability when a local chapter repeats similar conduct, such as the 2023 UT Austin incident where Pike was sanctioned for forced calisthenics and milk consumption.

Beta Theta Pi (ΒΘΠ)

• Presence: Active at UH, Texas A&M, UT Austin, and Baylor.
• National History: Beta Theta Pi faced national scrutiny and significant legal consequences following the death of Timothy Piazza.
  • Timothy Piazza (Penn State University, 2017): As detailed earlier, Piazza died from brain injuries after an extreme alcohol hazing event, followed by delayed medical care, leading to landmark criminal prosecutions and the “Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law” in Pennsylvania. Civil settlements, though confidential, were substantial.
  • Legal Impact: The Piazza case established new benchmarks for institutional and individual accountability in hazing, demonstrating how Beta Theta Pi’s national policies were often insufficient to prevent tragic outcomes.

Phi Delta Theta (ΦΔΘ)

• Presence: Active at UH, Texas A&M, UT Austin, SMU, and Baylor.
• National History: Phi Delta Theta is tragically linked to the death of Max Gruver.
  • Max Gruver (Louisiana State University, 2017): Gruver died from alcohol poisoning during a “Bible study” drinking game, which led to Louisiana’s felony hazing Max Gruver Act. The family received a $6.1 million verdict.
  • Legal Impact: This case serves as a stark reminder of the deadly consequences of forced drinking rituals and the subsequent legislative changes they can inspire, placing a heavy burden of prevention on the national organization.

Pi Kappa Phi (ΠΚΦ)

• Presence: Active at UH, Texas A&M, and UT Austin.
• National History: Pi Kappa Phi faced intense scrutiny following the death of Andrew Coffey.
  • Andrew Coffey (Florida State University, 2017): Coffey died from acute alcohol poisoning during a “Big Brother Night” event where pledges were given handles of hard liquor. Criminal charges and civil lawsuits followed, leading to a temporary suspension of all Greek life at FSU.
  • Legal Impact: The Coffey case highlighted a pattern of lethal alcohol hazing and the need for significant institutional reform within national organizations like Pi Kappa Phi.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ / SAE)

• Presence: Active at UH, Texas A&M, UT Austin, and SMU.
• National History: Sigma Alpha Epsilon has a particularly dark history, with numerous hazing-related deaths and severe injuries nationwide involving alcohol and physical abuse.
  • University of Alabama (2023): A lawsuit was filed alleging a pledge suffered a traumatic brain injury during a hazing ritual.
  • Texas A&M University (2021): Two pledges alleged being subjected to forced strenuous activity and having substances, including industrial-strength cleaner, raw eggs, and spit, poured on them, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin graft surgeries. The pledges sued the fraternity for $1 million.
  • University of Texas at Austin (2024): An international student alleged assault by fraternity members at a party, resulting in severe injuries, including a dislocated leg and fractured bones.
  • Legal Impact: SAE’s repeated involvement in severe and often violent hazing incidents, including those at Texas campuses, establishes a strong pattern of negligence against the national organization. Their claim that hazing is “rogue” behavior is often undermined by their own history.

Phi Gamma Delta (ΦΓΔ / FIJI)

• Presence: Active at Texas A&M.
• National History: Phi Gamma Delta is associated with one of the most tragic severe injury hazing cases.
  • Danny Santulli (University of Missouri, 2021): 18-year-old Danny Santulli was forced to consume excessive alcohol during a “pledge dad reveal” night, leading to severe, permanent brain damage. He is now unable to walk, talk, or see, requiring 24/7 care. His family settled lawsuits with 22 defendants, including the national fraternity, for multi-million-dollar confidential amounts.
  • Legal Impact: This case serves as a powerful reminder that hazing can result in catastrophic, life-altering injuries even if it doesn’t immediately lead to death, and that national fraternities can be held significantly accountable.

Kappa Sigma (ΚΣ)

• Presence: Active at UH, Texas A&M, UT Austin, and Baylor.
• National History: Kappa Sigma has been implicated in multiple severe hazing incidents.
  • Chad Meredith (University of Miami, 2001): A pledge drowned after being pressured by fraternity members to swim across a lake while intoxicated. A jury awarded his parents $12.6 million in a negligence suit based on hazing, leading to a law in Florida making hazing a criminal offense.
  • Texas A&M University (2023, ongoing): Allegations of hazing resulting in severe injuries, including rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown from extreme physical exertion), are currently being litigated.
  • Illegal Hazing at Texas Christian University (2018): A member was arrested for allegedly hazing pledges, highlighting ongoing issues.
  • Legal Impact: Kappa Sigma’s repeated hazing incidents, particularly across Texas, further illustrate how national organizations can be held liable for failing to address pervasive dangerous behaviors within their chapters.

Tie Back to Legal Strategy: Accountability for Comanche County Families

These national, regional, and campus-specific patterns are more than just stories; they are crucial components in a successful legal strategy for Comanche County families.

• Demonstrating Foreseeability: When a national fraternity or a university has a documented history of certain types of hazing incidents—especially if similar to what happened to your child—it becomes incredibly difficult for them to argue that the incident was “unforeseeable” or a “rogue” act.
• Proving Negligence: Evidence of prior, similar incidents can show that the national organization or university was negligent in its oversight, enforcement of policies, and prevention efforts. They had warnings, yet the hazing continued.
• Affecting Insurance Coverage: The known history of an organization can impact how insurance companies approach hazing claims. While insurers often try to deny coverage for “intentional acts,” showing a pattern of organizational negligence can often compel them to pay for the harm.
• Punitive Damages: In egregious cases, where a national organization or university repeatedly ignored warnings or acted with gross negligence, the potential for punitive damages—designed to punish defendants and deter future misconduct—can be significant, depending on the jurisdiction and specific claims.

For families in Comanche County, we meticulously investigate these organizational histories and campus-specific incidents. We leverage this deep knowledge to build powerful cases that aim not only for financial compensation but also for real institutional change and accountability.

Building a Case: Evidence, Damages, Strategy

Successfully litigating a hazing case against individuals, national organizations, and universities requires a meticulous approach to evidence collection, a deep understanding of recoverable damages, and a sophisticated legal strategy. For Comanche County families seeking justice, knowing what goes into building a strong case is empowering.

7.1 Evidence: The Foundation of Your Claim

Modern hazing cases are often won or lost based on the quality and comprehensiveness of the evidence. In the age of digital communication, much of this evidence is fragile and can disappear quickly, underscoring the need for immediate action.

• Digital Communications: In 2025, group chats and messages are the single most critical form of evidence in hazing cases. This includes:

  • Messaging Apps: GroupMe, WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Discord, Slack, iMessage/SMS group texts, and any fraternity/sorority specific communication apps. These chats often contain explicit instructions, threats, humiliating directives, admissions of hazing, and detailed plans for events.
  • Social Media: Instagram DMs, Snapchat messages, TikTok comments, Facebook Messenger. These can show communications between members, posts that mock pledges, or evidence of events.
  • Preservation is Key: Screenshots must capture full conversations, including sender names (or usernames), timestamps, and context. If messages are disappearing (e.g., Snapchat), screenshots must be taken immediately. Our firm can work with digital forensics experts to recover deleted messages, but original, authenticated screenshots are invaluable. We even have a YouTube video explaining how to use your cell phone to document a legal case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs.

• Photos & Videos:

  • Content from Members: Increasingly, hazing is filmed by participants for “entertainment” or “proof.” This footage, often shared in private group chats or on internal social media, is powerful evidence.
  • Injury Documentation: Photos of injuries (bruises, cuts, burns, swelling) must be taken immediately, from multiple angles, with scale (e.g., a coin), and repeatedly over days to show progression of healing/worsening.
  • Location & Scene: Photos or videos of the locations where hazing occurred (houses, rooms, specific venues) can provide context and corroborate witness statements.

• Internal Organization Documents: Subpoenas can compel the production of:

  • Pledge Manuals/Initiation Scripts: These often reveal “traditions” that align with hazing definitions or expose official efforts to conceal hazing.
  • Emails/Texts from Officers: Communications planning hazing, discussing “new member education,” or expressing concerns about getting caught.
  • National Policies & Training: National anti-hazing policies, risk management guidelines, and training materials can be used to show what the national organization knew or should have known.

• University Records: Through public records requests (for public universities like UH, Texas A&M, UT) or civil discovery (for all universities):

  • Prior Conduct Files: Documents detailing previous hazing violations, probations, suspensions, and warnings issued to the same organization or individuals.
  • Incident Reports: Records from campus police or student conduct offices related to the incident or prior complaints.
  • Clery Reports: Annual campus crime statistics that may show patterns of alcohol violations, assaults, or other crimes related to hazing.

• Medical and Psychological Records:

  • Emergency & Hospital Records: Documentation of immediate physical injuries, diagnosis, treatment, and toxicology reports (blood alcohol content, drug screening). Crucially, the records should state the cause of injury as “hazing” or “forced alcohol.”
  • Ongoing Treatment Records: Records from follow-up surgeries, physical therapy, and medication.
  • Psychological Evaluations: Documentation from therapists, psychologists, or psychiatrists diagnosing PTSD, depression, anxiety, or other mental health impacts resulting from the trauma. These are crucial for non-economic damages.

• Witness Testimony:

  • Direct Witnesses: Other pledges, members, roommates, Resident Advisors (RAs), coaches, or trainers who witnessed the hazing or its aftermath.
  • Bystanders: Any individuals who saw suspicious activities, heard commotion, or noticed changes in the victim.
  • Former Members: Students who quit the organization due to hazing concerns, or who were expelled, can provide critical insight into the organization’s culture.

7.2 Damages: The Full Scope of Recovery

Hazing inflicts devastating harm, both tangible and intangible. In Texas, our legal system aims to compensate victims and their families for the full scope of these damages.

• Medical Bills & Future Care:

  • Past Medical Expenses: This includes ambulance costs, emergency room visits, hospital stays (including ICU), surgeries, medications, and any immediate rehabilitative care.
  • Future Medical Expenses: For severe injuries, this can involve projected costs for ongoing physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychological counseling for PTSD, future surgeries, medications, and life care plans for catastrophic injuries like traumatic brain damage, which can require constant care for a lifetime.

• Lost Earnings / Educational Impact:

  • Lost Wages: Compensation for income lost by the victim or by parents who had to take time off work to care for their child.
  • Lost Educational Opportunities: The cost of missed semesters due to medical leave or withdrawal, forfeited scholarships (academic, athletic, or Greek-based), and the long-term impact of delayed graduation or impaired academic performance.
  • Diminished Future Earning Capacity: If injuries are permanent, an economist will calculate the lifetime earnings loss due to reduced ability to work.

• Non-Economic Damages: These compensate for the subjective, yet very real, suffering endured:

  • Physical Pain and Suffering: Compensation for the actual physical pain from injuries, and any chronic pain from permanent damage.
  • Emotional Distress, Trauma, Humiliation: This includes compensation for PTSD, anxiety, depression, a sense of betrayal, loss of dignity, and the profound psychological scars left by hazing.
  • Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Compensation for the inability to participate in activities, hobbies, studies, or social events that the victim once enjoyed, and the overall reduced quality of life.

• Wrongful Death Damages (for Families): When hazing results in a death, surviving family members (parents, spouse, children) can recover:

  • Funeral and Burial Costs: Direct expenses related to the passing of their loved one.
  • Loss of Financial Support: If the deceased would have contributed to the family’s finances.
  • Loss of Companionship, Love, and Society: Compensation for the profound emotional loss of their loved one’s presence, guidance, and emotional support.
  • Grief and Mental Anguish: Compensation for the intense emotional suffering endured by the grieving family. (Learn more about Attorney911’s wrongful death practice at https://attorney911.com/law-practice-areas/wrongful-death-claim-lawyer/).

• Punitive Damages: In Texas, punitive (or exemplary) damages can be awarded in cases of gross negligence or intentional harm. These are not about compensating the victim but about punishing the defendants for particularly malicious, reckless, or egregious conduct, and deterring similar behavior in the future. They can be capped in some cases in Texas but are a powerful tool to compel accountability.

It is crucial to understand that we describe categories of damages, not guaranteed payouts. The specific amounts depend on the unique facts of each case.

7.3 Role of Different Defendants and Insurance Coverage

Hazing cases often involve complex insurance coverage disputes, especially when large institutions and national organizations are named as defendants.

• Insurance Policies: National fraternities and universities typically carry substantial liability insurance policies designed to protect them from serious claims, including those arising from hazing.
• Denial Tactics: Insurers are notorious for attempting to deny coverage, often arguing that hazing constitutes “intentional acts” (which are frequently excluded from standard policies) or “criminal acts.” They may also claim that the policy doesn’t cover certain specific defendants or that the incident occurred off-premises or outside policy scope.
• Experienced Advocacy: Lupe Peña, one of our firm’s associate attorneys, has a background as a former insurance defense attorney at a national firm. This “insurance insider” knowledge is invaluable. She knows exactly how fraternity and university insurance companies value (and undervalue) hazing claims, understands their delay tactics, coverage exclusion arguments, and settlement strategies. Her expertise is crucial for identifying all potential coverage sources (homeowner’s policies, chapter policies, national policies, university umbrella policies), navigating aggressive denial tactics, and ultimately compelling insurers to respond appropriately. We know their playbook because we used to run it.

Practical Guides & FAQs

For Comanche County parents, students, and witnesses, having clear, actionable guidance is critical when confronted with hazing. Here is practical advice based on our experience in hazing litigation across Texas.

8.1 For Parents: Recognizing & Responding to Hazing

Your intuition as a parent is a powerful tool. Trust your gut if something feels off.

Warning Signs of Hazing

• Physical Changes: Unexplained bruises, cuts, burns, or injuries that your child might dismiss with vague or unbelievable excuses. Persistent exhaustion, deep fatigue, or unusual weight loss/gain. Signs of chemical burns or rashes.
• Behavioral & Emotional Shifts: Sudden secrecy about their organization (“I can’t talk about it,” “It’s a secret”), withdrawal from family or old friends, extreme anxiety, depression, irritability, or unusual anger. They might be constantly on their phone for group chats, especially at odd hours, or become defensive when asked about their activities.
• Academic Decline: A sudden drop in grades, missing classes or assignments, or falling asleep in class due to lack of sleep from “mandatory” activities.
• Financial Red Flags: Unexpected requests for money without clear explanation, large expenses for the organization, or buying alcohol/items for older members.
• Social Media/Digital: Anxiety around their phone, deleting messages or clearing browser history, new location-sharing apps (like Find My Friends or Life360) being used by the organization.

How to Talk to Your Child

Approach them with love and concern, not accusation. Emphasize their safety and well-being above all else.

• “How are things really going with [organization name]? Are you enjoying it, or is anything making you uncomfortable?”
• “Have they been respectful of your time for academics, sleep, and personal life?”
• “Is anything they’re asking you to do making you feel unsafe, embarrassed, or putting you at risk?”
• “Your health and safety are my absolute priority. If anything feels wrong, you can talk to me, and we’ll figure it out together.”

If Your Child is Hurt or in Danger

1. Prioritize Medical Care: Get them to an emergency room or doctor immediately. Insist that the medical staff document how the injury occurred (e.g., “forced to drink,” “physical assault during initiation”).
2. Document EVERYTHING: Take multiple photos of injuries, keep screenshots of all relevant texts/chats, and write down every detail your child tells you, including dates, times, and names of individuals involved. Keep any physical items like damaged clothing or receipts.
3. Contact Attorney911: We can guide you on securing evidence, navigating university inquiries, and protecting your child’s rights.

Dealing with the University

If your child has been subjected to hazing at a Texas university, you will likely interact with university administrators.

• Document all Communications: Keep a meticulous record of every phone call, email, and meeting with university officials. Note names, dates, times, and what was discussed.
• Inquire About History: Ask specifically whether the organization has a history of prior hazing incidents or disciplinary actions. Public universities like UT Austin (hazing.utexas.edu) often provide some of this information.
• Seek Legal Counsel: Before signing any university “release” forms or agreeing to internal “resolutions,” consult with an attorney. These documents can sometimes limit your legal options.

8.2 For Students / Pledges: Self-Assessment & Safety Planning

You are not alone, and you have rights.

Is This Hazing or Just Tradition?

Ask yourself these questions:

• Am I being forced or pressured to do something I don’t want to do?
• Would I do this activity if there were no social consequences or fear of being “cut”?
• Is this activity dangerous, degrading, or illegal?
• Would the university or my parents approve if they knew exactly what was happening?
• Are experienced members making new members do things they don’t have to do themselves?
• Am I being told to keep secrets, lie, or hide this from outsiders?

If you answered YES to any of these, it is likely hazing. Consent under duress is not true consent.

Why “Consent” Isn’t the End of the Story

Hazing thrives on the myth that “everyone agrees to it” or “it’s voluntary.” This is false and legally invalid. Texas Education Code § 37.155 explicitly states that consent is not a defense to hazing. The law recognizes that fear of exclusion, peer pressure, and the intense desire to belong create an environment where “consent” is not freely given. You cannot “consent” to criminal activity, including hazing that endangers your health or safety.

Exiting and Reporting Safely

• Immediate Danger: If you are in immediate physical danger, call 911 or campus police. Do not hesitate. Most schools and Texas law offer amnesty for good-faith reporting in medical emergencies.
• Leaving the Organization: You have the legal right to un-pledge or resign at any time, regardless of what anyone tells you. Inform a trusted adult (parent, RA, friend) first, then send an email or text resigning your membership to the chapter president. Avoid “one last meeting” if you fear pressure or retaliation.
• Protecting Yourself: If you fear retaliation after reporting or leaving, document any threats (screenshots, witness names). Report harassment to the Dean of Students or campus police; stalking is a crime in Texas.
• Reporting Channels:
  • On Campus: Dean of Students, Office of Student Conduct, Title IX Coordinator (if sexual harassment/assault is involved), Campus Police, Counseling Center (for confidential mental health support).
  • Off Campus: Local Police (if a crime occurred), National Anti-Hazing Hotline (1-888-NOT-HAZE) for anonymous reporting, or an experienced hazing attorney like those at Attorney911 for confidential legal advice.

8.3 For Former Members / Witnesses: Your Role in Accountability

If you were part of a hazing incident, or witnessed one, you may be experiencing a complex mix of guilt, fear of repercussions, and a desire to do the right thing.

• Your Testimony Matters: Your perspective and evidence can be crucial in preventing future harm and saving lives. You may be the critical link that holds individuals and institutions accountable.
• Seek Legal Advice: You may face criminal or civil exposure, but an attorney can advise you on your rights, potential protections (like good-faith reporting immunity), and how your cooperation might prevent greater harm. Our firm has criminal defense expertise (https://attorney911.com/law-practice-areas/criminal-defense-lawyers/) and can navigate these complexities.

8.4 Critical Mistakes That Can Destroy Your Case

Protecting your legal rights after a hazing incident requires careful action. Avoid these common missteps:

1. Letting Your Child Delete Messages or “Clean Up” Evidence: This is a devastating mistake. It appears to be a cover-up, can be construed as obstruction of justice, and makes proving your case nearly impossible. Preserve everything immediately, even if it’s embarrassing.
2. Confronting the Fraternity/Sorority Directly: This often backfires. They will immediately inform their national organization, lawyer up, destroy evidence, coach witnesses, and prepare their defenses. Document everything first, then consult a lawyer before any direct contact.
3. Signing University “Release” or “Resolution” Forms: Universities may pressure you to sign waivers or agreements for “internal resolution.” These can inadvertently waive your legal right to sue and often result in settlements far below the true value of your case. Never sign anything without an attorney reviewing it first.
4. Posting Details on Social Media Before Talking to a Lawyer: While natural to want to share your story, anything you post can be screenshotted by defense attorneys. Inconsistencies or emotional posts can be used against your child’s credibility. Let your lawyer control public messaging to protect your case.
5. Letting Your Child Go Back for “One Last Meeting”: Once you are considering legal action, any communication with the organization should go through your lawyer. Returning puts your child at risk of pressure, intimidation, or inadvertently providing statements that harm their case.
6. Waiting “to See How the University Handles It”: While internal university investigations are important, they are often designed to protect the institution. Evidence disappears, witnesses graduate, and the statute of limitations can run out. Preserve evidence NOW and consult a lawyer immediately. The university’s process is not the same as full legal accountability.
7. Talking to Insurance Adjusters Without a Lawyer: Insurance adjusters are trained to minimize payouts. Recorded statements can be used against you, and early settlement offers are almost always lowball. Politely decline to speak with them and state, “My attorney will contact you.” We also have a video on Client Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Injury Case (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY).

8.5 Short FAQ

• “Can I sue a university for hazing in Texas?”
  Yes, under certain circumstances. Public universities (like UH, Texas A&M, UT) have some sovereign immunity protections, but exceptions exist for gross negligence, Title IX violations, and when suing individuals in their personal capacity. Private universities (like SMU, Baylor) generally have fewer immunity protections. Every case depends on specific facts—contact Attorney911 at 1-888-ATTY-911 for case-specific analysis.

• “Is hazing a felony in Texas?”
  It can be. While Texas law classifies hazing as a Class B misdemeanor by default, it becomes a state jail felony if the hazing causes serious bodily injury or death. Individuals in leadership who fail to report hazing can also face misdemeanor charges.

• “Can my child bring a case if they ‘agreed’ to the initiation?”
  Yes. Texas Education Code § 37.155 explicitly states that consent is not a defense to hazing. Courts recognize that “consent” given under peer pressure, power imbalance, and fear of exclusion is not true voluntary consent.

• “How long do we have to file a hazing lawsuit?”
  Generally two years from the date of injury or death in Texas, but the “discovery rule” may extend this if the harm or its cause wasn’t immediately known. In cases involving cover-ups or fraud, the statute may be tolled (paused). Time is critical—evidence disappears, witnesses forget, and organizations destroy records. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 immediately. Learn more about the statute of limitations in our video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c.

• “What if the hazing happened off-campus or at a private house?”
  Location doesn’t eliminate liability. Universities and national fraternities can still be liable based on sponsorship, control, knowledge, and foreseeability. Many major hazing cases (like Michael Deng’s death at a remote retreat and the Collin Wiant case involving an “unofficial” off-campus house) occurred off-campus and still resulted in multi-million-dollar judgments.

• “Will this be confidential, or will my child’s name be in the news?”
  Most hazing cases settle confidentially before trial. While some cases become public due to criminal charges or high-profile verdicts, much of the civil litigation process can remain confidential. We prioritize your family’s privacy while pursuing accountability.

About The Manginello Law Firm + Call to Action

When your family in Comanche County faces the profound pain and uncertainty of a hazing incident, you need more than just a general personal injury lawyer. You need attorneys who intimately understand how powerful institutions—national fraternities, wealthy universities, and their well-funded insurance carriers—fight back, and how to win anyway.

The Manginello Law Firm, operating as Attorney911, the Legal Emergency Lawyers™, is a Houston-based Texas personal injury firm with deep, specialized experience in serious injury, wrongful death, and institutional accountability cases, particularly those involving hazing. We understand that hazing at Texas universities affects families in Comanche County and across the region, and we are strategically positioned to bring our expertise to bear on these complex cases.

Our unique qualifications set us apart:

• Insurance Insider Advantage: Lupe Peña, one of our accomplished associate attorneys (https://attorney911.com/attorneys/lupe-pena/), previously worked as an insurance defense attorney at a national firm. This “insurance insider” knowledge is invaluable in hazing litigation. Lupe understands exactly how fraternity and university insurance companies value (and often undervalue) hazing claims, their delay tactics, coverage exclusion arguments, and settlement strategies. We know their playbook because we used to run it. This insider perspective gives our clients a distinct edge from the moment a claim is considered.

• Complex Litigation Against Massive Institutions: Our managing partner, Ralph Manginello (https://attorney911.com/attorneys/ralph-manginello/), has extensive experience taking on some of the largest defendants in the country. Our firm was one of the few Texas firms involved in the complex BP Texas City explosion litigation, where we navigated federal court and challenged a multi-billion-dollar corporation. We bring this same tenacity and federal court experience to hazing cases, assuring families that we are not intimidated by national fraternities, universities, or their formidable defense teams. We’ve taken on billion-dollar corporations and won. We know how to fight powerful defendants.

• Multi-Million Dollar Wrongful Death and Catastrophic Injury Experience: We have a proven track record in complex wrongful death cases and catastrophic injury claims, having successfully recovered millions for families. This includes working with economists to value loss of life and understanding the immense costs associated with lifetime care needs for severe, permanent injuries like traumatic brain damage. We don’t settle cheap. We build cases that force accountability.

• Criminal + Civil Hazing Expertise: Ralph’s membership in the prestigious Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) provides us with unique insight into the criminal aspects of hazing. This helps clients understand how criminal hazing charges interact with civil litigation, and allows us to advise witnesses and former members who may face dual civil and criminal exposure.

• Investigative Depth: We pride ourselves on thorough investigation. Our network of experts includes medical specialists, digital forensics professionals, economists, and psychologists. We are experts at obtaining hidden evidence, from deleted group chats and social media content to subpoenaing national fraternity records showing prior incidents and uncovering crucial university files through discovery and public records requests. We investigate like your child’s life depends on it—because it does.

We recognize that hazing cases are different. They involve protecting young victims, balancing privacy with accountability, and understanding the complex cultural nuances of Greek life and campus traditions. Our firm is dedicated to getting you answers, holding the right people accountable, and helping prevent this tragedy from happening to another family. We know this is one of the hardest things a family can face, and our approach is built on empathy and unwavering victim advocacy.

Call to Action

If you or your child experienced hazing at any Texas campus—whether it’s UH, Texas A&M, UT Austin, SMU, Baylor, or another institution—we want to hear from you. Families in Comanche County and throughout the surrounding region have the right to answers and accountability.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm for a confidential, no-obligation consultation. We’ll listen to what happened without judgment, explain your legal options, and help you decide on the best path forward.

During your free consultation, you can expect us to:

• Listen to your story with compassion and without judgment.
• Review any evidence you have (photos, texts, medical records) to assess the strength of your potential claim.
• Explain your legal options, discussing whether a criminal report, civil lawsuit, both, or neither, is appropriate for your situation.
• Outline what to expect through the legal process and provide realistic timelines.
• Answer your questions about costs. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning we don’t get paid unless we win your case. To learn more, you can watch our video explaining contingency fees: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc.
• Provide all the information you need, with no pressure to hire us on the spot. We want you to take the time you need to make an informed decision.

Contact us today:

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

Hablamos Español: If you prefer to speak in Spanish, please contact Lupe Peña at lupe@atty911.com for a consultation. Servicios legales en español están disponibles.

Whether you’re in Comanche County or anywhere across Texas, if hazing has impacted your family, you don’t have to face this alone. Call us today.

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