The Definitive Guide to Hazing Lawsuits in Texas: A Resource for Royse City Families

We understand the fear that strikes when a call comes from your child at college, and their voice carries a tremor you’ve never heard before. For parents in Royse City, Rockwall County, and across Northeast Texas, the dream of your student’s university experience can quickly become a nightmare when whispers of “tradition” hide the reality of abuse. Hazing isn’t a relic of the past; it’s a present and dangerous crisis on campuses nationwide, including the Texas universities where our local students enroll.

Right now, our firm is actively litigating one of the most serious hazing cases in the country, right here in Texas. We represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who suffered rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure after brutal hazing by the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter. This $10 million lawsuit against UH, the fraternity’s national headquarters, and individual members details forced consumption of food until vomiting, hours of extreme calisthenics, and psychological torment. As reported in the Click2Houston investigation, his urine turned brown from muscle tissue breakdown before he was hospitalized for four days. This case is not an anomaly—it’s evidence of a systemic problem.

This guide is written specifically for families in Royse City, Heath, Fate, and throughout Rockwall County. Whether your child attends the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas A&M Commerce, or has ventured further to UT Austin, Texas A&M, or SMU, you deserve to understand the real risks of modern hazing, the legal framework that protects your child, and the practical steps to take if the unthinkable happens.

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

• Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24–48 hours:

  • Evidence disappears fast. We can help preserve it and protect your child’s rights.
  • Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for an immediate, confidential consultation.

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like in Texas

For Royse City parents, hazing may conjure images of outdated movie scenes. Today’s hazing is more insidious, often disguised as “team building” or “bonding,” and leverages digital tools to control and humiliate. It is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers a student’s mental or physical health for the purpose of joining, maintaining membership in, or holding office in any group. Crucially, under Texas law, a victim’s “consent” is not a defense.

The main categories of modern hazing include:

• Alcohol & Substance Hazing: Forced or coerced drinking games (“lineups,” “century club”), being pressured to consume unknown substances, or “Big/Little” nights with handles of liquor. This remains the leading cause of hazing deaths.
• Physical Hazing: Paddling, beatings, “smokings” (extreme, punitive calisthenics), sleep deprivation, food/water restriction, and exposure to extreme elements. The Leonel Bermudez case involved 100+ push-ups and 500 squats in a single session.
• Sexualized & Humiliating Hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, degrading costumes or positions, and acts with racist or sexist overtones. In the UH Pi Kappa Phi case, pledges were required to carry a “pledge fanny pack” 24/7 containing condoms and sex toys as humiliation.
• Psychological Hazing: Verbal abuse, threats, isolation from friends and family, forced confessions, and public shaming.
• Digital Hazing: Coerced participation in humiliating social media “challenges,” 24/7 demands via GroupMe or Discord, mandatory location sharing, and cyberstalking if pledges don’t comply.

Hazing extends beyond fraternities and sororities. It occurs in athletic teams, Corps of Cadets programs, spirit groups like cheer and drumline, marching bands, and other campus organizations. The common thread is a power imbalance exploited under the guise of tradition.

Texas Hazing Law & Liability: What Royse City Families Need to Know

Texas has a specific legal framework for hazing under the Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F. Understanding this law is critical for families seeking accountability.

Texas Hazing Law Basics (Education Code § 37.151-§ 37.156):

• Definition: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, on or off campus, that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership in an organization.
• Criminal Penalties (§ 37.152):
  • Class B Misdemeanor: Hazing that does not cause bodily injury (up to 180 days jail, $2,000 fine).
  • Class A Misdemeanor: Hazing that causes bodily injury.
  • State Jail Felony: Hazing that causes serious bodily injury or death.
  • Individual Liability: Officers or members who knowingly fail to report hazing also commit a crime.
• Organizational Liability (§ 37.153): The organization itself (fraternity, sorority, team) can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 if it authorizes or encourages hazing.
• Consent is NOT a Defense (§ 37.155): This is paramount. Even if a student “agreed” to participate, it is still legally hazing under Texas law. Courts recognize the coercive power of peer pressure and the desire to belong.
• Immunity for Reporting (§ 37.154): Individuals who in good faith report hazing to authorities are immune from civil or criminal liability for their own minor involvement (like underage drinking). This “Good Samaritan” provision is meant to remove barriers to calling 911.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases:
A criminal case is brought by the state (DA) to punish wrongdoing with jail or fines. A civil lawsuit is brought by the victim or their family to obtain compensation for damages—medical bills, pain and suffering, lost future earnings—and to hold all responsible parties accountable. These cases can, and often do, proceed simultaneously. A criminal conviction is not required to file a civil suit.

Federal Law Overlay: The Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024) now requires colleges receiving federal aid to report hazing incidents more transparently and maintain public hazing data. When hazing involves sexual harassment or assault, Title IX obligations are triggered. The Clery Act also mandates reporting of certain campus crimes, which can include hazing-related assaults.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Civil Hazing Lawsuit?

A thorough hazing investigation seeks to identify every entity with responsibility. In the Bermudez case, the lawsuit names 17 defendants across four categories. For a Royse City family, potential liable parties may include:

1. Individual Students: The members who planned, executed, or covered up the hazing.
2. Local Chapter & Its Officers: The chapter as an entity and its leadership (President, Pledgemaster, Risk Manager) who had a duty to prevent and report hazing.
3. National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters: Nationals that collect dues, provide charters, set policies, and have historical knowledge of hazing risks within their organization. Their liability often hinges on “foreseeability”—did they know or should they have known this could happen based on past incidents?
4. The University: Public universities like UNT or Texas A&M Commerce may be sued for gross negligence or deliberate indifference if they knew of a pattern of hazing and failed to act. Private universities have fewer immunity hurdles.
5. Third Parties: Property owners of off-campus houses, alcohol providers (under dram shop laws), and security companies.

Our legal strategy involves using what we call the Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—a proprietary database built from public records—to identify all potentially liable entities, including alumni housing corporations and insurance policies, that families and typical attorneys might miss.

National Hazing Case Patterns: The Scripts That Repeat in Texas

Tragically, hazing fatalities follow a shockingly consistent pattern. Knowing these national cases helps Royse City families understand that what happened to their child was foreseeable and preventable by the organizations involved.

• Timothy Piazza – Penn State, Beta Theta Pi (2017): A bid-acceptance night with catastrophic drinking, captured on chapter house cameras. Brothers delayed calling 911 for 12 hours. The case led to the Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law in Pennsylvania and resulted in dozens of criminal charges.
• Max Gruver – LSU, Phi Delta Theta (2017): A “Bible study” drinking game where incorrect answers mandated drinking. Gruver died with a 0.495% BAC. The Max Gruver Act made hazing a felony in Louisiana.
• Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha (2021): A “Big/Little” night where Foltz was forced to drink a bottle of whiskey. He died of alcohol poisoning. The chapter was expelled, individuals were convicted, and the family reached a $10 million settlement with the national fraternity and university.
• Andrew Coffey – Florida State, Pi Kappa Phi (2017): Another “Big Brother” night with fatal alcohol poisoning. This case directly involves the same national fraternity currently sued in the UH case we are litigating.
• Danny Santulli – Univ. of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta (2021): A “pledge dad reveal” led to extreme drinking, causing permanent, catastrophic brain injury. The family settled with 22 defendants.

These cases show the recurring “scripts”: forced drinking games, delayed medical help, and systemic cover-ups. When Royse City students are hazed at a Texas chapter of these same national organizations, the national’s extensive history of identical incidents becomes powerful evidence of their negligence.

The Texas University Landscape: Where Royse City Students Study

Royse City families often send students to a mix of regional and flagship universities. Each campus has its own Greek ecosystem, history of incidents, and reporting protocols.

University of North Texas (UNT) & Texas A&M University-Commerce

As major regional institutions close to Royse City, UNT in Denton and A&M-Commerce are where many local students begin their higher education. Both have active Greek life systems under the umbrella of the University of North Texas System.

• Greek Life: UNT hosts numerous Interfraternity Council (IFC) and National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) chapters. Texas A&M-Commerce also has a long-standing Greek community.
• Jurisdiction: Hazing incidents at these schools may involve campus police (UNT PD, University Police Department at Commerce) and the local city police. Civil lawsuits would typically be filed in Denton County or Hunt County courts.
• Action for Families: Report hazing to the Dean of Students office and campus police immediately. Preserve all digital evidence, as group chats are often where hazing is organized. Given the proximity, our firm can quickly assist with investigations and evidence preservation for families in Royse City and Rockwall County.

The University of Texas at Austin (UT)

As a flagship destination, UT Austin maintains a highly public hazing transparency portal.

• Public Hazing Log: UT publishes a searchable list of organizations found responsible for hazing, including sanctions. Recent entries include sanctions against fraternities for forced calisthenics and alcohol-related hazing.
• Notable Incidents: Various fraternities have faced suspensions for hazing. The university’s relative transparency can aid civil discovery by establishing a pattern of known issues within specific organizations.
• For Royse City Families: If your student is hazed at UT, the public violation history can be crucial evidence. Legal actions would involve Travis County courts.

Texas A&M University (College Station)

The culture of tradition at Texas A&M extends to its Greek life and especially its Corps of Cadets.

• Corps of Cadets Hazing: There have been serious allegations within the Corps, including a lawsuit describing cadets being bound in degrading “roasted pig” positions. The university states it addresses such matters internally.
• Fraternity Incidents: Lawsuits have alleged severe hazing, including a Sigma Alpha Epsilon case where pledges suffered chemical burns from industrial cleaner.
• For Royse City Families: The combination of Greek life and Corps culture requires attorneys familiar with both systems. Cases may be filed in Brazos County.

Southern Methodist University (SMU) & Baylor University

These private institutions have significant Greek life presences but different disciplinary transparency.

• SMU: As a private university, SMU has fewer public reporting requirements. Past incidents have led to chapter suspensions.
• Baylor: Beyond Greek life, Baylor has faced hazing allegations within its athletic programs, including baseball.
• For Royse City Families: Pursuing claims against private universities involves different strategic considerations than public ones, often with fewer immunity defenses.

Fraternities & Sororities: National Histories Meet Texas Chapters

The organizations on Texas campuses are chapters of national brands with documented, often tragic, histories. This national pattern is critical to proving liability. For example, the Pi Kappa Phi chapter at UH that harmed Leonel Bermudez is part of a national organization that settled lawsuits after the death of Andrew Coffey at Florida State in 2017. This establishes “foreseeability.”

Using our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—drawing from IRS filings, university data, and corporate records—we can map the network of liability. For instance, public records show a “Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc.” with an EIN and a Frisco, TX address. This is the type of entity that may hold insurance or assets, and that families would never know to investigate without dedicated legal resources.

This data-driven approach is how we build the most comprehensive case possible, ensuring no responsible entity is overlooked.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Damages, and Strategy for Texas Families

When a Royse City family comes to us, we immediately begin a structured investigation to secure evidence and quantify the profound harm caused.

Critical Evidence We Secure:

• Digital Communications: GroupMe, WhatsApp, Instagram, and text messages are the modern blueprint of hazing. We work with digital forensics experts to recover deleted messages.
• Photos & Videos: Content shared by members often documents the abuse.
• Internal Organization Documents: Pledge manuals, “tradition” lists, and emails.
• University Records: Prior conduct reports for the chapter, obtained through discovery or public records requests.
• Medical Records: Documentation of injuries, from ER reports to long-term psychological care for PTSD.

Damages in a Hazing Case:

Hazing causes profound and lasting harm. Recoverable damages include:

• Economic Damages: All medical bills (emergency care, hospitalization, therapy), future medical care, lost wages, and diminished future earning capacity if injuries are permanent.
• Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for physical pain, emotional trauma, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: If hazing leads to death, families can seek funeral costs, loss of financial support, and loss of companionship.

We have a video explaining how to properly use your phone to document evidence, which is crucial in the first hours after discovering hazing. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs.

Practical Guides & FAQs for Royse City Parents and Students

For Parents: Warning Signs and Steps

• Signs Your Child May Be Hazed: Unexplained injuries, extreme fatigue, sudden secrecy, personality changes (anxiety, withdrawal), fear of “getting the chapter in trouble,” constant phone monitoring for group chats.
• What to Do: Listen without judgment, seek medical care, preserve all evidence, document everything in writing, and consult an attorney before reporting to the university or speaking to insurance adjusters.

For Students: Your Rights and Safety

• Is This Hazing? If you feel coerced, unsafe, or humiliated for membership, it likely is. “Tradition” is not an excuse.
• You Have the Right to Leave. Your safety is paramount. You cannot be legally punished for quitting a dangerous process.
• Reporting Protections: Texas law and most university policies offer amnesty for those who call 911 in an emergency, even if underage drinking was involved.

Critical Mistakes That Can Ruin a Case

1. Deleting Evidence: Do not let your child “clean up” group chats or texts. This is often construed as destroying evidence.
2. Confronting the Organization: This triggers their defense lawyers and leads to evidence destruction.
3. Signing University Paperwork: Do not sign any waiver, release, or “resolution agreement” from the university without an attorney’s review.
4. Posting on Social Media: Public posts can be used by defense attorneys to contradict your claims.
5. Waiting Too Long: The Texas statute of limitations for personal injury is generally two years. Evidence and witness memories fade. We have a video explaining these deadlines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c.

Why Attorney911 Is Equipped to Fight for Royse City Hazing Victims

When your family faces a hazing crisis, you need more than a general personal injury lawyer. You need attorneys who understand the intricate power dynamics of Greek life, the tactics of institutional defense, and have the resources to win. From our Houston office, we serve families across Texas, including those in Royse City, Rockwall, and across Northeast Texas.

• Insider Insurance Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), spent years as an insurance defense attorney for a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurance companies deny claims, lowball settlements, and fight in court. We know their playbook because we used to run it. You can learn more about Mr. Peña’s background at https://attorney911.com/attorneys/lupe-pena/.
• Complex Institutional Litigation Experience: Managing partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few plaintiff attorneys involved in the billion-dollar BP Texas City explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by national fraternities or major universities. We have federal court experience and a track record of taking on deep-pocketed defendants.
• Active, High-Stakes Hazing Litigation: We are not theorizing about hazing law; we are actively fighting one of the most severe cases in the country right now (the Leonel Bermudez case). This gives us current, real-world strategy and insight.
• Data-Driven Investigation: Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine allows us to identify every potentially liable entity from day one, turning public records into powerful leverage.
• Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña speaks fluent Spanish, ensuring we can serve all Texas families with comfort and clarity.

We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we win your case. We explain this clearly in our video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc.

Call to Action for Royse City Families

If you suspect your child has been hazed at any Texas university—from UNT to UT, from A&M-Commerce to SMU—you are not alone, and you have rights. The path to accountability begins with a conversation.

We invite you to contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) for a confidential, no-obligation consultation. We will listen to your story, review any evidence you have, explain your legal options in clear terms, and help you decide the best path forward for your family. There is no pressure to hire us on the spot.

Call us today at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). You can also reach us directly at (713) 528-9070 or via email at ralph@atty911.com.

Hablamos Español. For consultation in Spanish, please contact Mr. Lupe Peña at lupe@atty911.com.

Your child’s safety and future are paramount. Let us help you protect them and hold the responsible parties accountable.

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
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com