The Definitive Guide to Hazing Lawsuits for Families in City of Bishop and Across Texas
For Bishop parents, a familiar phone call home takes a terrifying turn. Your student at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, the University of Houston, or another Texas campus sounds different—exhausted, secretive, anxious. They mention “mandatory” late-night meetings, strange group chat demands, or unexplained injuries brushed off as “team bonding.” You feel that gut-deep parental alarm: something is wrong. You’re not imagining it, and you are not alone. Right now, in Texas, we are fighting one of the most serious hazing lawsuits in the country, representing a young man whose life was nearly destroyed by fraternity hazing. This guide is for you—the parents and families in Bishop, Robstown, Driscoll, and across Nueces County who deserve to understand the brutal reality of modern hazing, your legal rights under Texas law, and how to protect your child when institutions fail them.
IMMEDIATE HELP FOR A HAZING EMERGENCY
- If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW: Call 911 for any medical emergency. Then, call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). We provide immediate legal help—that’s why we are the Legal Emergency Lawyers™.
- In the first 48 hours:
- Get Medical Attention: Even if injuries seem minor or your child insists they are “fine,” seek a medical evaluation. Conditions like rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) or internal injuries may not be immediately apparent.
- Preserve Evidence BEFORE It Disappears: Screenshot all relevant group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, texts), photograph injuries from multiple angles, and save any physical items involved. Do not let your child delete anything.
- Document Everything: Write down everything your child tells you—names, dates, locations, and specific acts—while memories are fresh.
- Do NOT: Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team directly; sign anything from the university or an insurance company; or post details on social media.
- Contact an Experienced Hazing Attorney: Evidence vanishes quickly. Universities and national organizations move faster to control the narrative than most families realize. We can help you navigate this crisis from the first call. Contact Attorney911 at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, immediate, and confidential consultation.
The Case That Changed the Conversation in Texas: Leonel Bermudez vs. UH & Pi Kappa Phi
To understand the stakes for your family, you must know what is happening right now in Texas courts. In late 2025, we filed a $10 million hazing and abuse lawsuit in Harris County on behalf of our client, Leonel Bermudez, a transfer student at the University of Houston (UH).
He was a pledge of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity’s Beta Nu chapter. What was promised as brotherhood devolved into months of systematic torture during the Fall 2025 pledge period. The hazing occurred at the UH Pi Kappa Phi chapter house, a residence on Culmore Drive, and Yellowstone Boulevard Park.
The conduct was sadistically specific. Bermudez was forced to carry a “pledge fanny pack” 24/7 containing condoms, a sex toy, and nicotine devices. He endured enforced dress codes, overnight chauffeuring duties, and weekly interrogations. The physical abuse included:
- Extreme workouts: sprints, bear crawls, wheelbarrow races, and “save-your-brother” drills in the cold.
- Being forced to lie in vomit-soaked grass.
- Being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding” with threats of actual waterboarding.
- Forced consumption of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting, followed immediately by more sprints.
- A “workout” on November 3 where he was forced to do over 100 push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion.
The lawsuit also describes another pledge being hog-tied face-down on a table with an object in his mouth for over an hour. Another lost consciousness during early-morning workouts at Yellowstone Park.
For Bermudez, the catastrophic result was rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure. He passed brown urine, could not stand without help, and was hospitalized for four days with critically high creatine kinase levels. He faces an ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage.
The defendants in this active lawsuit include the University of Houston, the UH System Board of Regents, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, the Beta Nu housing corporation, and 13 individual fraternity leaders and members.
The institutional response tells its own story. On November 6, 2025, Pi Kappa Phi HQ suspended the chapter after receiving hazing reports. On November 14, chapter members voted to surrender their charter, effectively shutting down. UH called the alleged conduct “deeply disturbing,” promised disciplinary action up to expulsion, and pledged cooperation with law enforcement.
This is not a historical case or a story from another state. This is happening here in Texas, right now. We are leading this fight. It proves that the most severe hacing can and does occur at Texas universities, and it demonstrates the level of investigative depth and institutional litigation required to secure accountability. The Click2Houston report on UH Pi Kappa Phi hazing case and ABC13 coverage of Leonel Bermudez’s UH hazing lawsuit provide detailed accounts of this ongoing litigation.
For families in Bishop, this case is your reference point. The same national organizations, the same institutional dynamics, and the same legal principles apply whether the campus is in Houston, College Station, Austin, or Corpus Christi.
The South Texas Greek Ecosystem: What Parents in Bishop Need to Know
For parents in Bishop, your child’s college experience is deeply connected to the broader South Texas and statewide university network. The Greek life landscape is not just a list of social clubs; it is a complex web of legally recognized organizations, many with their own insurance, property, and national headquarters. Understanding this ecosystem is the first step in understanding liability.
Where Bishop Families Send Their Kids: Local and Statewide Campuses
Bishop students proudly attend schools across our great state. The most immediate connections are to the Corpus Christi metro area and the premier institutions within it, but our families also send children to major universities across Texas.
Local & Regional Campuses (Corpus Christi Metro Area):
- Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (Nueces County): A major public university with growing Greek life, located just a short drive from Bishop.
- Del Mar College (Nueces County): A vital community college serving the Coastal Bend.
Major Statewide Universities (Common Destinations for Bishop Graduates):
- University of Houston (UH) & Texas A&M University: As the flagship cases in this guide show, these are hubs of Greek life where serious incidents occur.
- University of Texas at Austin (UT): Hosts one of the largest and most transparent Greek systems in the state.
- Texas A&M University-Kingsville (Kleberg County): A significant university in the South Texas region with active fraternity and sorority life.
- Texas State University, Texas Tech University, Baylor University, Southern Methodist University (SMU): All are major destinations with extensive Greek systems.
When hazing occurs, liability does not stop at the campus border. A national fraternity with a chapter in College Station is the same entity as one in Corpus Christi or Houston. Their insurance, policies, and prior knowledge are interconnected.
Public Records Directory: Fraternities, Sororities & Greek Organizations in the Corpus Christi Metro and Texas
We maintain a proprietary Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, built from public IRS data, university records, and national databases. This is not speculation; it is a mapped network of the organizations behind the Greek letters. For Bishop families, here is a snapshot of the legally registered Greek-life entities in the relevant region and across Texas.
This directory exists to show you the scale and structure of what we track. Being listed is not an accusation of wrongdoing but a demonstration of the tangible entities that may be involved in a hazing investigation.
Tier 1: Corpus Christi Metro Area & South Texas Organizations
The Corpus Christi metro, as tracked by Cause IQ, contains 21 Greek-related organizations. This includes undergraduate chapters, alumni associations, and honor societies. Examples from public records include:
- Delta Zeta Sorority – Corpus Christi Alumnae
Alumnae chapter in Corpus Christi, TX. (Cause IQ metro listing) - Alpha Sigma Phi – Iota Phi Chapter
Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi chapter. (Cause IQ metro listing: “Texas A&M–CC chapter”) - Phi Kappa Phi – TAMU Corpus Christi Chapter
Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi chapter at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. (Cause IQ metro listing) - Kappa Sigma Fraternity – Rho-Psi Colony
Colony/chapter at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. (Cause IQ metro listing: “TAMU–CC colony/chapter”) - Sigma Chi Fraternity – Zeta Pi (TAMUK)
Texas A&M University–Kingsville chapter. (Cause IQ metro listing) - Alpha Gamma Delta – Kappa Gamma Chapter
Texas A&M University–Kingsville chapter. (Cause IQ metro listing) - Delta Chi Fraternity – Kingsville Chapter
Texas A&M University–Kingsville chapter. (Cause IQ metro listing)
Tier 2: Major Texas University Hubs Relevant to Bishop Families
The universities your children attend have dense networks of supporting organizations. Here are examples tied to major campuses from IRS B83 public filings:
- Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity – Epsilon Kappa Chapter
EIN: 746064445 | 1855 Highway 69 N, Nederland, TX 77627. (IRS B83 filing) - Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc
EIN: 741380362 | PO Box 470061, Fort Worth, TX 76147. (IRS B83 filing) - Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc
EIN: 462267515 | 10601 Big Horn Trl, Frisco, TX 75035. (IRS B83 filing) - Sigma Chi Fraternity Epsilon Xi Chapter
EIN: 746084905 | 4300 Martin Luther King Blvd, Houston, TX 77204. (IRS B83 filing) - Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Inc – Theta Delta
EIN: 475370943 | 5019 Calhoun Rd, Houston, TX 77204. (IRS B83 filing – “THETA DELTA”) - Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – Texas A&M University
EIN: 900293166 | 114 Henderson Hall 4233 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843. (IRS B83 filing)
Tier 3: Texas-Wide Snapshot
Statewide, our engine tracks 1,423 fraternity and sorority organizations across 25 Texas metro areas. The overlap between IRS data and commercial databases confirms the reach of national brands. For instance, organizations like Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority and the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi appear in both IRS records and metro listings from Beaumont to Abilene, proving how national networks operate across the state.
Why This Directory Matters for Your Family
If your child is hazed, we do not start from zero. We already know how to find the legal entities behind the chapter—the house corporations that own property, the alumni associations that fund them, and the national headquarters that set policy. This data-driven approach turns a confusing Greek alphabet into a clear map of potential liability and insurance coverage. It is how we build leverage in cases like the UH Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit.
Texas Hazing Law Explained: Rights and Remedies for Bishop Families
Texas has specific laws designed to address hazing, but they only work if families understand and enforce them. The governing statute is the Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F.
What Texas Law Defines as Hazing
The law defines hazing broadly as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act directed against a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or maintaining membership in an organization that:
- Endangers the mental or physical health or safety of the student.
- This includes, but is not limited to: forced consumption of food/drink/alcohol/drugs; physical brutality; sleep deprivation; and activity that adversely affects mental health.
Key Provisions for Bishop Parents:
- Location is Irrelevant: The law applies to acts committed on or off campus.
- Consent is NOT a Defense: Texas Education Code § 37.155 states unequivocally that the victim’s “consent” to the hazing activity is not a defense to prosecution. This legally dismantles the common rebuttal, “They wanted to do it.”
- Criminal Penalties: Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. If it causes serious bodily injury (like rhabdomyolysis or a traumatic brain injury) or death, it becomes a state jail felony. Individuals can also be charged for failing to report hazing.
- Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting: The law protects those who report hazing in good faith, and many universities have medical amnesty policies to encourage calling 911 in alcohol-related emergencies.
Criminal vs. Civil Liability: Two Paths to Accountability
It is vital to understand the two parallel legal tracks.
- Criminal Case: Brought by the state (e.g., Nueces County District Attorney, Harris County District Attorney). The goal is punishment (fines, probation, jail). A criminal conviction can help a civil case but is not required to sue.
- Civil Lawsuit: Brought by the victim and their family. The goal is compensation (for medical bills, pain and suffering, lost future earnings) and institutional accountability. This is where you can sue the fraternity, its national headquarters, the university, and the individuals involved.
The Federal Overlay: Title IX, Clery, and the Stop Campus Hazing Act
- Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment, sexual assault, or gender-based discrimination, your child’s school has specific federal obligations to investigate and address it.
- Clery Act: Requires universities to report certain crimes, including hazing incidents that constitute assaults or alcohol offenses.
- Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): A new federal law requiring colleges to improve hazing transparency and publish more data, with provisions phasing in by 2026.
For Bishop families, this legal framework means you have powerful tools. A civil lawsuit can target a universe of defendants, from the 18-year-old pledge master in Corpus Christi to the national fraternity headquarters in another state and the university regents in Austin.
The National Playbook: How Hazing Patterns Repeat at Texas Schools
The tragedy at UH is not an anomaly. It follows a decades-old national playbook of abuse and cover-up. The same fraternities with deadly histories in other states operate chapters at Texas A&M, UT Austin, and Baylor. This “pattern evidence” is crucial in court, as it shows national organizations were on notice that their rituals were dangerous.
The Alcohol Poisoning Pattern
This is the most common cause of hazing death.
- Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State (Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Pledge died after being forced to drink a bottle of alcohol. Result: $10 million settlement ($7M from national fraternity, ~$3M from university).
- Max Gruver – LSU (Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died during a “Bible study” drinking game. Result: Louisiana passed the Max Gruver Act, a felony hazing statute.
- Andrew Coffey – Florida State (Pi Kappa Phi, 2017): Died after “Big Brother Night.” The chapter was closed.
The Physical Brutality Pattern
- Chun “Michael” Deng – Baruch College (Pi Delta Psi, 2013): Pledge died from traumatic brain injury after a violent “glass ceiling” ritual at a retreat. The national fraternity was criminally convicted and banned from Pennsylvania.
- Texas A&M Sigma Alpha Epsilon (2021): Pledges allegedly doused with industrial-strength cleaner, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin grafts. The chapter was suspended.
The Athletic Team Hazing Pattern
- Northwestern University Football (2023-2025): Widespread allegations of sexualized and racist hazing led to multiple lawsuits, coach firings, and confidential settlements, proving hazing is not confined to Greek life.
What This Means for Bishop: The Pi Kappa Phi chapter at UH used forced drinking and extreme physical exertion—a combination of the two deadliest national patterns. When we see these patterns in Texas, we know how to prove that the national organization and the university should have seen it coming. Their prior knowledge is your leverage.
Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and the Attorney911 Advantage
When you contact us, we initiate a forensic-level investigation. We know what evidence wins cases because we have done it.
The Evidence That Matters Most in 2025
- Digital Communications: GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Instagram DMs, and Snapchat chats are the modern “smoking gun.” We secure and analyze them, often recovering deleted messages.
- Photos & Videos: Media posted on social media or shared in private group chats documenting events, injuries, or humiliation.
- Medical Records: Documentation linking injuries (e.g., rhabdomyolysis diagnosis, high CK levels, psychological PTSD diagnosis) directly to the hazing events.
- Internal Organization Records: Obtained through subpoena, these can include pledge manuals, risk management reports, and emails between local chapters and nationals showing prior knowledge.
- University Records: Prior conduct violations for the same chapter, often obtained via public records requests or discovery.
Our Unique Strategic Advantages for Texas Families
We are not a general personal injury firm dabbling in hazing. We are complex institutional litigators with specific advantages:
- Insurance Insider Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), spent years as a defense attorney for a national insurance firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers fight claims, deny coverage, and lowball settlements. We know their playbook because we used to run it.
- BP Texas City Explosion Litigation: Founding partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few plaintiff attorneys involved in litigation against BP after the catastrophic 2005 explosion. We have faced billion-dollar defendants with unlimited legal budgets. National fraternities and major universities do not intimidate us.
- Federal Court & Complex Litigation Experience: Hazing cases often involve federal law (Title IX) and multi-defendant strategies. We are admitted to federal court and have the experience to manage complex discovery against institutional opponents.
- Data-Driven Investigation: We employ the Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine detailed above. We don’t just take a client’s word; we verify and map the entire organizational structure behind the abuse.
- Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña speaks fluent Spanish. We are committed to serving all Texas families with compassion and understanding.
The Damages We Fight to Recover
In a civil lawsuit, we seek to make your family whole and punish reckless behavior. Recoverable damages can include:
- All past and future medical expenses (ER, hospitalization, surgery, therapy, lifelong care).
- Lost wages and diminished future earning capacity if injuries affect your child’s career.
- Physical pain and suffering.
- Mental anguish, humiliation, and emotional distress (PTSD, depression, anxiety).
- Punitive damages, intended to punish particularly egregious conduct and deter future hazing.
In wrongful death cases, families can recover funeral costs, loss of companionship, and emotional suffering.
Practical Guide for Bishop Parents, Students, and Witnesses
For Parents: Warning Signs and Immediate Steps
Warning Signs:
- Unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
- Extreme physical or mental exhaustion, sleep deprivation.
- Sudden withdrawal from family and old friends.
- Anxiety about phone notifications (constant group chat demands).
- Defensiveness or secrecy about organization activities.
- Requests for unusual amounts of money for “fines” or “required” purchases.
What to Do Immediately:
- Prioritize Safety & Health: Get medical attention.
- Preserve Evidence: Help your child screenshot all relevant messages. Photograph injuries. Save any physical items. Watch our video on using your phone to document evidence (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs) for guidance.
- Document: Write a detailed timeline with names, dates, and places.
- Seek Legal Counsel: Contact us before reporting to the university or police if possible. We can help you navigate the process to avoid common pitfalls. One of the biggest mistakes is confronting the organization directly, which triggers evidence destruction. Learn more in our video on client mistakes that can ruin your injury case.
- Understand the University’s Role: The Dean of Students office is not your advocate. Their primary interest is often limiting institutional liability. Have an attorney communicate with them.
For Students: Is This Hazing?
If you are being pressured, humiliated, endangered, or forced to do something to belong, it is hazing. “Tradition” is not an excuse. Your safety is more important than any membership.
- You have the right to leave any situation that feels unsafe.
- You have the right to report anonymously through campus hotlines or to the National Anti-Hazing Hotline at 1-888-NOT-HAZE.
- Texas law protects good-faith reporters. If you call 911 for someone in medical distress, you are typically shielded from minor alcohol violations.
Critical Mistakes That Can Damage Your Case
- Deleting digital evidence.
- Confronting the fraternity/sorority members directly.
- Posting about the incident on public social media.
- Signing a university “resolution” agreement without an attorney.
- Waiting too long. Texas has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims, but evidence decays daily. Watch our video on Texas statutes of limitations for more information.
Why Choose Attorney911? Texas-Based Hazing Specialists Serving Bishop Families
We are The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC, operating as Attorney911, the Legal Emergency Lawyers™. While our physical offices are in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we serve hazing victims and their families across Texas, including in Bishop, Corpus Christi, and throughout Nueces County.
We take on hazing cases because we believe in accountability and prevention. The Bermudez lawsuit is a testament to our commitment. We fight not just for compensation, but to force change—to shutter dangerous chapters, reform national policies, and send a message that Texas families will not tolerate the abuse of their children.
Our fee structure is contingency-based: We don’t get paid unless we win your case. You pay no upfront costs. Learn how this works in our video on how contingency fees work.
If Hazing Has Touched Your Family in Bishop, You Are Not Alone
You do not have to navigate this nightmare by yourself. The institutions involved have teams of lawyers and PR experts. You deserve a team that fights for you with equal ferocity and greater purpose.
Contact us today for a free, confidential, and no-obligation consultation. We will listen to your story, explain your legal options in clear terms, and help you decide the best path forward for your family’s healing and justice.
Call Attorney911 24/7 at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911).
Se habla Español. Contacte a Lupe Peña directamente.
Legal Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and law. Please contact us directly to discuss your specific situation.
Plain Text Links to Key Resources
News Coverage of the Leonel Bermudez UH Pi Kappa Phi Case:
- Click2Houston Report:
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2025/11/21/only-on-2-lawsuit-alleges-severe-hazing-at-university-of-houstons-pi-kappa-phi-chapter-fraternity/ - ABC13 Coverage:
https://abc13.com/post/waterboarding-forced-eating-physical-punishment-lawsuit-alleges-abuse-faced-injured-pledge-uhs-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity/18186418/
Attorney911 Educational Videos:
- Using Your Cellphone to Document Evidence:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs - Statutes of Limitations in Texas:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c - Client Mistakes That Can Ruin a Case:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY - How Contingency Fees Work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc
Main Firm Website:
- Attorney911 – Free Consultation:
https://attorney911.com
