A Guide to Hazing Lawsuits and Accountability for Families in City of Leona and Across Texas

If Your Child Was Hazed at a Texas University, You Are Not Alone

For parents in City of Leona, Trout Creek, Flynn, or anywhere in Leon County, the phone call every family dreads can come in many forms. Your child at Texas A&M, the University of Houston, or another Texas campus calls home, their voice trembling. They talk about “pledge activities” that have left them exhausted and injured. They mention being forced through extreme workouts, pressured to drink dangerous amounts, or subjected to humiliating treatment—all framed as “tradition” or “team building.” You feel a cold dread: your child is being hazed, and you don’t know what to do next.

You are in the right place. This comprehensive guide is written specifically for families in the City of Leona and across Central Texas who are facing the nightmare of campus hazing. We will explain what hazing truly looks like in 2025, break down the Texas legal framework for holding organizations accountable, and show you the proven path to seeking justice and preventing this from happening to another family.

Right now, our firm, Attorney911, is actively litigating one of the most serious hazing cases in Texas. We represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who suffered rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure after alleged hazing by the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter. This $10 million lawsuit against UH, the fraternity’s national headquarters, and individual members demonstrates exactly the kind of institutional fight families in City of Leona may face—and the level of expertise required to win.

This guide will provide City of Leona families with:

A clear understanding of modern hazing tactics used at Texas universities like Texas A&M, UT Austin, and UH.
A breakdown of Texas hazing law and how it protects your child, even if they “consented.”
Analysis of major national hazing cases and how their patterns appear at Texas schools.
Specific information about the Greek ecosystems at UH, Texas A&M, UT Austin, SMU, and Baylor.
Practical, immediate steps to take if you suspect hazing.
How an experienced Texas hazing litigation firm builds a winning case.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

Call 911 for medical emergencies.
Then call Attorney911: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). We provide immediate help—that’s why we’re the Legal Emergency Lawyers™.

In the first 48 hours:

Get Medical Attention: Even if your child insists they are “fine,” seek emergency care. Conditions like rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) can be fatal.
Preserve Evidence BEFORE It’s Deleted:
- Screenshot all group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage), texts, and DMs immediately.
- Photograph injuries from multiple angles with good lighting.
- Save Physical Items: Do not wash clothing with stains; secure any objects used in hazing.
Document Everything: Write down who, what, when, and where while memories are fresh.
Do NOT:
- Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team directly.
- Sign anything from the university or an insurance company.
- Post details on public social media.
- Allow your child to delete messages or “clean up” evidence.

Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24–48 hours. Evidence disappears rapidly. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential consultation.

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like in Texas

Hazing is not a relic of the past or merely “boys being boys.” It is a calculated pattern of abuse that has evolved with technology and become more hidden. For City of Leona families with students at large universities, understanding this evolution is critical to recognizing the signs.

A Modern, Expansive Definition

Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—on or off campus—directed against a student for the purpose of joining, maintaining membership in, or affiliating with any organization. It endangers the mental or physical health or safety of the student. Under Texas law, a victim’s “consent” is not a defense when power imbalance and coercion are present.

The Four Categories of Modern Hazing

1. Alcohol and Substance Hazing
This remains the most common and deadly form. It includes forced consumption during “Big/Little” reveals, “family tree” drinking games, or lineups where pledges must quickly finish bottles. The 2025 UH Pi Kappa Phi case involved forced consumption of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting. The national pattern is clear: from Stone Foltz at Bowling Green (Pi Kappa Alpha) to Max Gruver at LSU (Phi Delta Theta), forced drinking leads to alcohol poisoning and death.

2. Physical Hazing
This extends beyond paddling to include extreme, punishment-based calisthenics designed to cause injury. In the UH case, Leonel Bermudez was forced through 100+ push-ups and 500 squats, leading to rhabdomyolysis. Other tactics include “smokings,” sleep deprivation, exposure to extreme elements, and dangerous physical tests like the “glass ceiling” ritual that killed Chun Deng at a Pi Delta Psi retreat.

3. Psychological and Sexualized Hazing
This includes systematic humiliation, verbal abuse, isolation, and acts designed to degrade. Examples include forced nudity, simulated sexual acts (“roasted pig” positioning alleged in a Texas A&M Corps case), assigning derogatory roles, and psychological manipulation. The goal is to break down individuality through shame.

4. Digital Hazing and Coercion
The newest frontier involves 24/7 control via group chats (GroupMe, Discord), mandatory location sharing, social media humiliation (forced TikTok challenges), and cyberstalking. Pledges may be required to respond to messages instantly at all hours, creating perpetual anxiety and sleep disruption. This digital trail also becomes critical evidence.

Where Hazing Happens

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

Fraternities and Sororities (IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, Multicultural councils)
Corps of Cadets / ROTC / Military-Style Groups (especially at Texas A&M)
Athletic Teams (from football to cheerleading)
Spirit and Tradition Organizations (like Texas Cowboys or Aggie Band)
Marching Bands and Performance Groups
Academic and Service Clubs

The common threads are a hierarchy of power, a culture of secrecy, and the twisted justification of “tradition.”

Texas Hazing Law & Liability Framework: What City of Leona Families Need to Know

Texas has specific, robust laws against hazing. Understanding this framework is the first step to holding organizations accountable. These laws apply whether your child is at a school in Houston, College Station, Austin, or anywhere in the state.

Texas Education Code, Chapter 37: The Anti-Hazing Statute

The foundation is Texas Education Code Chapter 37, Subchapter F. Key provisions include:

§37.151 – Broad Definition: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers physical or mental health for purposes of initiation or affiliation into an organization. Location (on or off campus) does not matter.
§37.152 – Criminal Penalties: Hazing is a Class B Misdemeanor. It becomes a Class A Misdemeanor if it causes injury requiring medical treatment. If it causes serious bodily injury or death, it is a State Jail Felony.
§37.155 – Consent is NOT a Defense: This is crucial for families. The law explicitly states that a victim’s consent does not excuse the hazing conduct, recognizing the inherent coercion in these situations.
§37.153 – Organizational Liability: The organization itself (fraternity, sorority, team) can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 if it authorized or encouraged the hazing.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Two Paths to Accountability

Criminal Cases: Brought by the state (DA’s office). Aim to punish with jail time, fines, or probation. Charges can include hazing, assault, furnishing alcohol to minors, or manslaughter in fatal cases.
Civil Cases: Brought by the victim or their family. Aim to secure compensation for damages (medical bills, pain and suffering, future care) and force institutional change through financial accountability. A criminal conviction is not required to file a civil suit.

In our ongoing UH Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit, we are pursuing the civil path to secure compensation for Leonel Bermudez’s medical trauma and to force systemic changes at UH and within the national fraternity.

Federal Law Overlay

The Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges receiving federal aid to report hazing incidents transparently and maintain public hazing data by 2026.
Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or gender-based hostility, federal Title IX obligations are triggered, creating another avenue for institutional accountability.
The Clery Act: Requires universities to report certain campus crime statistics, which can include hazing-related assaults.

The Web of Liability: Who Can Be Held Responsible?

In a civil hazing lawsuit, multiple entities can be held liable, creating a stronger case for recovery:

Individual Perpetrators: The members who planned, executed, or supplied materials for the hazing.
The Local Chapter: As a legal entity, it can be sued for fostering a culture that allowed hazing.
The National Organization: Headquarters can be liable for negligent supervision if they knew or should have known about dangerous patterns. The national Pi Kappa Phi organization is a defendant in the UH case for this reason.
The University: Schools can be liable for negligent supervision if they had prior knowledge of hazing and failed to act, or for premises liability if hazing occurred in university-owned housing. The University of Houston and its Board of Regents are named defendants in our current lawsuit.
Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses, alcohol providers (under dram shop laws), or security companies may share liability.

National Hazing Case Patterns: The Script Texas Chapters Follow

Tragically, hazing incidents follow predictable scripts. National patterns prove that fraternities and universities are often on notice about specific dangers. These cases provide the precedent and leverage needed to win justice for Texas families.

The Alcohol Poisoning Script

Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Died after a bid-acceptance night of forced drinking. Brothers delayed calling 911 for hours. Result: Dozens of criminal charges, a massive civil settlement, and Pennsylvania’ “Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law.”
Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died during a “Bible study” drinking game. Result: The “Max Gruver Act” made hazing a felony in Louisiana.
Stone Foltz (Bowling Green, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Died after being forced to drink a bottle of liquor. Result: $10 million settlement ($7M from national Pike, $3M from BGSU).

The Texas Connection: This exact script—a “Big/Little” or bid night with forced overconsumption—is what allegedly led to the hospitalization of Leonel Bermudez at UH and appears in reports from other Texas schools.

The Physical & Ritualized Abuse Script

Chun “Michael” Deng (Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi, 2013): Died from traumatic brain injury after a blindfolded “glass ceiling” tackling ritual at a retreat. Result: National fraternity convicted of manslaughter and banned from Pennsylvania for 10 years.
Danny Santulli (Univ. of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): Suffered permanent, catastrophic brain damage from forced drinking. Result: Settlements with 22 defendants, highlighting multi-party liability.

The Texas Connection: Extreme physical workouts causing rhabdomyolysis (as in the UH case) and dangerous off-campus retreats are a repeated pattern in Texas hazing allegations.

The Institutional Cover-Up Script

Northwestern University Football (2023-2025): Allegations of widespread sexualized and racist hazing led to multiple lawsuits, coach firings, and confidential settlements, showing hazing exists in major athletic programs.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Nationwide: This fraternity has faced repeated lawsuits for hazing injuries, including a traumatic brain injury case at the University of Alabama and a chemical burns case at Texas A&M where pledges required skin grafts.

What This Means for City of Leona Families: These national cases are not abstract. They create legal precedents on “foreseeability.” If a national fraternity like Pi Kappa Phi or SAE has a history of alcohol hazing deaths, they cannot claim surprise when the same thing happens at a Texas chapter. This history strengthens negligence claims dramatically.

Texas Focus: Hazing at Major Universities Relevant to City of Leona Families

Families in City of Leona and Leon County often send their children to major state universities. Understanding the specific landscape, policies, and histories at these schools is essential. Below, we focus on the universities most relevant to our region and the state’s major Greek life hubs.

A Note for City of Leona & Leon County Families

While there are no large universities within Leon County itself, students from our community commonly attend:

Texas A&M University (College Station) – The closest major public university.
Sam Houston State University (Huntsville) – A regional public university with Greek life.
University of Texas at Tyler or UT Austin – For those pursuing specific programs.
Blinn College (Brenham) – A common two-year pathway to Texas A&M.

Furthermore, the Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—our firm’s proprietary database of over 1,423 Greek organizations across 25 Texas metros—shows that the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro, which influences our region, contains 188 Greek-related entities. This includes national fraternities and sororities with chapters at schools our children attend.

When a hazing incident occurs, jurisdiction may involve campus police, the local county sheriff (e.g., Brazos County for Texas A&M), or the home county of the victim. Our firm navigates these multi-jurisdictional issues routinely.

1. Texas A&M University (College Station)

For City of Leona families, Texas A&M is often the most accessible major university.

Campus Snapshot: A massive, tradition-rich campus with a powerful Greek system and the nationally renowned Corps of Cadets. The culture emphasizes tradition, which can sometimes mask abusive practices as “legitimate conditioning.”
Documented Incidents:
- Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Chemical Burns Case (2021): Pledges alleged being doused with industrial-strength cleaner, raw eggs, and other substances, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin graft surgeries. The chapter was suspended, and a $1 million lawsuit was filed.
- Corps of Cadets “Roasted Pig” Lawsuit (2023): A cadet alleged being tied between beds in a simulated sexual position with an apple in his mouth, among other degrading acts. He filed a lawsuit seeking over $1 million.
How a Case Proceeds: Investigations may involve Texas A&M University Police, the Bryan/College Station PD, and the Brazos County District Attorney. Civil suits are typically filed in Brazos County District Court. Potential defendants include individual cadets/members, the Corps command, the university (Texas A&M University System), and national organizations.

2. University of Houston (UH)

UH draws students from across the state, including those from City of Leona seeking an urban university experience.

Campus Snapshot: A large, diverse commuter and residential campus in the heart of Houston with an active Greek life spanning multiple councils.
The Flagship Case – Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi: As detailed in media reports from Click2Houston and ABC13, this case alleges severe hazing in Fall 2025. Key facts:
- Hazing Acts: “Pledge fanny pack” humiliation, forced overnight driving, extreme workouts at Yellowstone Boulevard Park, being sprayed with a hose “like waterboarding,” forced overeating until vomiting.
- Injury: Bermudez developed rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure, passed brown urine, and was hospitalized for four days.
- Defendants: UH, UH System Board of Regents, Pi Kappa Phi national HQ, the Beta Nu housing corporation, and 13 individual fraternity leaders.
- Outcome: The chapter was suspended (Nov. 6, 2025) and voted to surrender its charter (Nov. 14, 2025). The lawsuit seeks over $10 million in damages.
How a Case Proceeds: This active case, which we are litigating, demonstrates the process: filing in Harris County District Court, engaging in discovery against a large public university system, and pursuing a national fraternity headquartered in another state.

3. University of Texas at Austin (UT)

Campus Snapshot: A flagship institution with a vast Greek system and hundreds of student organizations. UT maintains a public Hazing Violations Log, offering more transparency than many schools.
Documented Incidents (from UT’s Public Log):
- Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): New members directed to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics. Chapter placed on probation.
- Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Assault Case (2024): An Australian exchange student allegedly assaulted at a party, suffering a dislocated leg, broken nose, and fractured tibia. A lawsuit seeks over $1 million.
How a Case Proceeds: Jurisdiction involves UTPD or Austin PD. Travis County courts handle litigation. UT’s public violation log is a powerful tool for plaintiffs to demonstrate prior knowledge and pattern.

4. Baylor University & Southern Methodist University (SMU)

Private University Context: As private institutions, they have fewer sovereign immunity hurdles than public schools but often emphasize internal, non-public resolution.
Baylor Baseball Hazing (2020): 14 players suspended following a hazing investigation.
SMU Kappa Alpha Order (2017): Chapter suspended for paddling, forced drinking, and sleep deprivation.

For families at these schools, the legal strategy must account for their private status and often intense focus on institutional reputation.

The Texas Greek Ecosystem: Public Records and National Histories

To hold organizations accountable, you must first identify them. Our firm maintains the Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, built from public IRS data, university records, and commercial databases. This allows us to map the complex network of entities behind a simple fraternity name.

Public Records Directory: The Organizations Behind the Letters

When your child joins “Pi Kappa Phi,” they are interacting with a web of legal entities: a national 501(c)(7) social club, a local chapter housing corporation, an alumni association, and often a related educational foundation. Each may hold insurance or assets. Below is a sample from our database of Texas-registered Greek entities relevant to the campuses discussed.

Sample IRS B83 Records (Greek Organization Tax Filings):

Pi Kappa Phi – Delta Omega Chapter Building Corporation, EIN 37-1768785, Missouri City, TX 77459
Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc., EIN 46-2267515, Frisco, TX 75035
Kappa Sigma – Mu Gamma Chapter Inc., EIN 27-3662583, Lufkin, TX 75904
Sigma Chi Fraternity – Epsilon Xi Chapter, EIN 74-6084905, Houston, TX 77204
Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc., EIN 74-1380362, Fort Worth, TX 76147
Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (University of Texas at Tyler Chapter), EIN 35-2335400, Tyler, TX 75799

Metro Concentration (from Cause IQ Data):

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land Metro: 188 Greek organizations
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metro: 510 Greek organizations
Austin-Round Rock Metro: 154 Greek organizations

This data is not academic; it’s investigative. In the UH Pi Kappa Phi case, identifying the Beta Nu housing corporation and its assets was part of building a comprehensive claim against all responsible parties.

Why National Histories Create Legal Liability

A national fraternity’s history of hazing incidents is not just bad PR—it’s evidence of foreseeability. In court, we can argue: “Your honor, Pi Kappa Phi national knew about the fatal alcohol hazing of Andrew Coffey at FSU in 2017. When they failed to implement effective safeguards, they became negligent. The same script played out at UH in 2025, harming our client.”

This pattern evidence applies to many groups with Texas chapters:

Pi Kappa Alpha: Stone Foltz death (2021).
Sigma Alpha Epsilon: Multiple injury lawsuits nationwide, including at Texas A&M.
Phi Delta Theta: Max Gruver death (2017).
Kappa Alpha Order: Hazing suspensions at multiple schools, including SMU.

For a City of Leona family, this means the national organization’s past is directly relevant to your child’s case in Texas.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Damages, and Strategy

Winning a hazing case requires a meticulous, strategic approach. It is a fight against well-funded institutions with experienced defense counsel. Here is how we build cases for families in City of Leona and across Texas.

The Evidence Collection Imperative

Evidence disappears within days. A systematic approach is critical.

Digital Forensics: Preserve group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp), text messages, and social media posts (Instagram stories, Snapchat memories). Even deleted messages can often be recovered. We use our guide on using your phone to document evidence to advise clients.
Photographic & Medical Evidence: Document injuries over time. Secure all medical records that explicitly connect the injury to hazing (e.g., ER report stating “patient reports forced drinking during fraternity event”).
Internal Organization Documents: Through discovery, we subpoena chapter “pledge manuals,” meeting minutes, emails between members and national advisors, and risk management reports.
University Records: We use public records requests and discovery to obtain prior conduct reports on the same chapter, demonstrating the university’s prior knowledge.
Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, roommates, and concerned bystanders are critical. We act quickly before witnesses are coached or become hostile.

Recoverable Damages in a Hazing Case

The goal is to make the victim whole and hold defendants accountable. Recoverable damages include:

Economic Damages: All past and future medical expenses, lost wages, lost educational costs (tuition for withdrawn semesters), and diminished future earning capacity if injuries are permanent.
Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, mental anguish, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life. For a college student, this can include the loss of their “college experience.”
Wrongful Death Damages (if applicable): Funeral expenses, loss of financial support, and loss of companionship for the family.
Punitive Damages: In cases of particularly egregious or reckless conduct, courts may award punitive damages to punish the defendant and deter future behavior. The cover-up and repeat offenses seen in many hazing cases can support punitive claims.

Overcoming Institutional Defense Tactics

We anticipate and counter common defenses:

“The Victim Consented”: We cite Texas Education Code §37.155 and present evidence of peer pressure and coercion.
“This Was a Rogue Chapter”: We use the national history (pattern evidence) to show the conduct was foreseeable and the national failed in its duty to supervise.
“It Happened Off-Campus”: We argue the university and national maintain control over recognized chapters and their activities, regardless of location.
“Insurance Doesn’t Cover Intentional Acts”: We argue that the negligent supervision by the national or university—a failure to act—is a covered “occurrence.” Our co-founding attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, uses his years as an insurance defense attorney to navigate these complex coverage fights.

The active litigation in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case embodies this entire strategy: leveraging digital evidence, medical proof, national pattern evidence, and insider insurance knowledge to pursue maximum accountability.

Practical Guides & FAQs for City of Leona Parents and Students

For Parents: Warning Signs and Action Steps

Warning Signs:

Unexplained injuries (bruises, burns, limping).
Extreme fatigue, sleep deprivation, or drastic weight change.
Sudden secrecy about organization activities (“I can’t talk about it”).
Personality changes: anxiety, depression, withdrawal.
Constant, anxious phone use related to group chats.
Requests for unusual amounts of money for “fines” or “supplies.”

What to Do:

Talk Calmly: Ask open-ended questions. “I’m worried about you. Is anything happening that makes you feel unsafe or humiliated?”
Prioritize Safety: If there is immediate danger or serious injury, call 911.
Preserve Evidence: Gently guide your child to screenshot messages and photograph injuries. Store physical items.
Document: Write down everything your child tells you with dates.
Seek Legal Counsel Early: Contact a hazing attorney before reporting to the university. We can help you navigate the process to protect your child’s rights and the integrity of the evidence. Call 1-888-ATTY-911.

For Students: Is This Hazing?

If you answer YES to any of these, you are likely being hazed:

Are you being pressured to do something dangerous, degrading, or illegal?
Would you do this if there was no threat of being kicked out or ostracized?
Are older members making you do things they don’t have to do?
Are you told to keep secrets from the university, your parents, or alumni advisors?
Your consent under pressure is not a legal defense for them.

Critical Mistakes That Can Damage a Case

Deleting Evidence: Screenshot everything first. Deletion can look like a cover-up.
Confronting the Organization First: This triggers their defense lawyers and leads to evidence destruction.
Signing University Resolution Papers: Universities may offer a quick, confidential resolution that waives your right to sue. Do not sign anything without an attorney.
Posting on Social Media: Defense investigators monitor everything. Inconsistencies can be used against you.
Waiting Too Long: Texas has a statute of limitations (generally two years from the injury). Evidence and witness memories fade.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can we sue the university in Texas?
A: Yes. While public universities have some sovereign immunity, exceptions exist for gross negligence, Title IX violations, and certain torts. Private universities like Baylor and SMU have fewer immunity protections. The UH lawsuit is a current example of suing a public university system.

Q: What if it happened off-campus at a rented house?
A: Location does not absolve liability. The university and national may still be liable based on their recognition and supervision of the chapter. The fraternity members and property owner may also be liable.

Q: How much does a hazing lawyer cost?
A: We work on a contingency fee basis. You pay no upfront fees. Our payment is a percentage of the recovery we secure for you. If we don’t win, you don’t pay attorney’s fees. Learn more in our video on how contingency fees work.

Q: Will my child’s name be public?
A: Most civil cases settle confidentially before trial. We aggressively pursue protective orders and sealed settlements to protect our clients’ privacy. The goal is accountability, not notoriety.

Why Attorney911 for Texas Hazing Cases

When your family in City of Leona, Centerville, or Buffalo faces a hazing crisis, you need advocates who understand the intersection of campus culture, institutional power, and complex litigation. The Manginello Law Firm, PLLD (operating as Attorney911) was built for this exact fight.

Our Proven Competitive Advantages in Hazing Litigation

Active, High-Stakes Hazing Litigation Experience: We are not theorists. We are currently leading the $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi on behalf of Leonel Bermudez. We know the playbook because we are writing it.
Insider Insurance Knowledge: Our associate attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as a defense attorney for national insurance companies. He knows how fraternity and university insurers value claims, deny coverage, and drag out cases. We use this insider knowledge to counter their tactics and maximize your recovery.
Experience Against Billion-Dollar Institutions: Founding attorney Ralph Manginello was one of the few plaintiff’s attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We have faced the deepest-pocketed, most aggressive defense teams and are not intimidated by national fraternities or university legal departments.
Data-Driven Investigation: Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—with over 1,423 tracked Greek entities—means we start investigations with a map, not a blank page. We know how to find the housing corporations, alumni associations, and insurance policies that others miss.
Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise: Ralph Manginello’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the criminal exposure hazing participants face. We can strategically advise on the interaction between criminal proceedings and civil lawsuits.
Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña is a fluent Spanish speaker, ensuring we can serve all Texas families with comfort and clarity.

Our Commitment to City of Leona and Texas Families

We are a Texas-based firm with offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. We serve families across the state, from the Piney Woods of East Texas to the Panhandle. We understand the values and concerns of communities like City of Leona, and we fight with the tenacity and respect those communities deserve.

We approach each case with a dual mission: to secure full and fair compensation for the profound harm done to your child and family, and to force the institutional changes necessary to prevent the next tragedy. As Attorney Lupe Peña said in the UH case, “If this prevents harm to another person… Let’s bring this to light. Enough is enough.”

Call to Action: Contact Attorney911 for a Free, Confidential Consultation

If you are a parent in City of Leona, Leon County, or anywhere in Texas, and you believe your child has been hazed, you do not have to navigate this alone. The institutions involved have teams of lawyers. You deserve a team of your own.

We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your situation. In this confidential meeting, we will:

Listen compassionately to your story.
Review any evidence you have gathered.
Explain your legal rights and options under Texas law.
Outline the potential paths forward, including litigation.
Answer all your questions about process, timelines, and costs.
Provide you with a clear, honest assessment of your case.

There is no pressure to hire us. Our goal is to ensure you have the information needed to make the best decision for your family.

Take the First Step Toward Accountability Today

Call us 24/7 at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct Line: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Hablamos Español: Contact Mr. Lupe Peña at lupe@atty911.com
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com

Visit our website to learn more about our wrongful death practice and our attorneys’ full backgrounds: Ralph Manginello and Lupe Peña.

Let us help you turn this crisis into a catalyst for change, justice, and healing.

Plain Text Links to Key Resources

News Coverage of the 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/
Hoodline Summary: https://hoodline.com/2025/11/university-of-houston-and-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity-face-10m-lawsuit-over-alleged-hazing-and-abuse/

Attorney911 Educational Videos:

Using Your Phone for Evidence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs
Texas Statutes of Limitation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c
Client Mistakes to Avoid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY
How Contingency Fees Work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc

Attorney911 Main Website: https://attorney911.com

Legal Disclaimer

This article is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC.

Hazing laws, university policies, and legal precedents can change. The information in this guide is current as of late 2025 but may not reflect the most recent developments. Every hazing case is unique, and outcomes depend on the specific facts, evidence, applicable law, and many other factors.

If you or your child has been affected by hazing, we strongly encourage you to consult with a qualified Texas attorney who can review your specific situation, explain your legal rights, and advise you on the best course of action for your family.

The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911
Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, Texas
Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com