Hazing at Texas Universities: A Comprehensive Guide for Families in Shallowater and Across Texas

Section 1: If Your Child Was Hazed at a Texas University, You Are Not Alone

Imagine your child, a student from our close-knit Shallowater community, excitedly accepting a bid to a fraternity, sorority, or Corps program at a major Texas university. What begins with promises of brotherhood, sisterhood, and tradition soon turns into something darker. Late-night phone calls become frantic. Your once-vibrant student is now exhausted, secretive, and carrying unexplained injuries. They talk about “mandatory” events that interfere with classes, about humiliating tasks, and about fear of speaking up. This nightmare scenario is unfolding for Texas families right now, including those right here in Lubbock County. The reality is that hazing—a dangerous mix of coercion, abuse, and institutional failure—is not a relic of the past. It is a present and active threat on campuses across our state.

For parents in Shallowater, Lubbock, and the surrounding South Plains region, this threat hits close to home. Our children attend Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas A&M University in College Station, the University of Texas at Austin, and campuses across the state. The bonds of community and trust we build here in West Texas travel with them. When that trust is violated by organizations meant to build character, the betrayal is profound, and the legal and medical consequences can be catastrophic.

We are The Manginello Law Firm, PLLD, operating as Attorney911, the Legal Emergency Lawyers™. We represent hazing victims and their families in Texas and nationwide. Right now, we are actively litigating one of the most serious hazing cases in the country, demonstrating our commitment to holding powerful institutions accountable. This guide is written for you—the parents, grandparents, and families in Shallowater—to provide clarity, hope, and a path forward during an unimaginably difficult time.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for medical emergencies.
• Then call Attorney911: 1-888-ATY-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, and 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, or team directly.
  • Sign anything from the university or an 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. Universities move quickly to control the narrative. We can help preserve evidence and protect your child’s rights. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for an immediate, confidential consultation.

Section 2: Hazing in 2025 – What It Really Looks Like Beyond the Stereotypes

For families in Shallowater, the word “hazing” might conjure images of outdated movie scenes. The reality in 2025 is more insidious, often hidden behind digital screens and disguised as “team building” or “tradition.” Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of joining or maintaining membership in a group. Critically, a victim’s “consent” is not a defense under Texas law.

The Modern Taxonomy of Hazing

Alcohol and Substance Hazing: This remains the most common and deadly form. It includes forced consumption during “lineups,” “Big/Little” reveals, drinking games like “Bible study,” or being pressured to finish a bottle of liquor. The goal is rapid, dangerous intoxication.

Physical Hazing: This extends beyond paddling to include extreme, punitive calisthenics (“smokings” involving hundreds of push-ups or squats), sleep deprivation, exposure to extreme elements, and dangerous “tests” like blindfolded tackles.

Psychological and Humiliating Hazing: This involves systematic degradation: forced nudity or wearing demeaning costumes, verbal abuse and threats, social isolation, “roasts,” and being assigned humiliating roles or identities.

Digital Hazing: The newest frontier. Pledges are subjected to 24/7 surveillance via group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp), required to share live locations, forced to post embarrassing content on social media, or harassed if they don’t respond instantly to messages at all hours.

Sexualized Hazing: This includes simulated sexual acts, forced viewing of pornography, inappropriate touching, and rituals designed to shame and degrade through sexual humiliation.

Where Hazing Happens: It’s Not Just Fraternities

While fraternities and sororities are often in the spotlight, hazing pervades many organizations:

• Fraternities and Sororities (IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, Multicultural councils).
• Athletic Teams (from football and basketball to cheer and swim teams).
• Corps of Cadets / ROTC Programs (with their own entrenched traditions).
• Spirit and Tradition Groups (like the Texas Cowboys at UT).
• Marching Bands and Performing Arts Groups.
• Academic and Service Clubs.

The common thread is a power imbalance between new members and established members, a culture of secrecy, and the twisted belief that abuse builds loyalty.

Section 3: Texas Hazing Law & Liability – A Framework for Shallowater Families

Texas has specific laws designed to combat hazing, and understanding them is the first step toward accountability. As a Texas-based firm, we navigate this legal landscape daily for families from Shallowater to Houston.

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

The law provides a clear definition: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, on or off campus, directed against a student for the purpose of pledging, initiation, or affiliation with any organization, that:

1. Endangers the mental or physical health or safety of the student.

Key Provisions for Families:

• Criminal Penalties: Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. It becomes a Class A misdemeanor if it causes injury and a State Jail Felony if it causes serious bodily injury or death.
• Consent is NOT a Defense: Texas Education Code § 37.155 explicitly states that a victim’s consent does not excuse the crime. The law recognizes the coercive power of peer pressure.
• Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting: Individuals who report hazing in good faith to authorities are protected from civil or criminal liability arising from the report. This is crucial for encouraging bystanders to call for help.
• Organizational Liability: The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can be fined up to $10,000 and lose its university recognition.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Two Paths to Accountability

• Criminal Cases: Brought by the state (District Attorney). The goal is punishment—fines, probation, or jail time for individuals. Charges can include hazing, assault, furnishing alcohol to a minor, or manslaughter.
• Civil Cases: Brought by the victim and their family. The goal is compensation for damages and institutional accountability. We sue for negligence, wrongful death, emotional distress, and negligent supervision. A criminal conviction is not required to file a civil lawsuit; we prove our case by a lower standard of proof.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Civil Hazing Lawsuit?

Our investigation aims to identify every responsible party, which often includes:

1. The Individual Perpetrators: Students who planned, executed, or covered up the hazing.
2. The Local Chapter: As an entity, for fostering a culture that allowed hazing.
3. The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters: For failing to adequately supervise, train, or discipline chapters despite knowing their dangerous histories. We subpoena their internal records to prove this.
4. The University: For negligent supervision, failing to enforce its own policies, or showing “deliberate indifference” to known risks. Public universities like Texas Tech have certain immunity, but exceptions exist for gross negligence.
5. Third Parties: Property owners of off-campus houses, alumni advisors, or security companies.

The Federal Overlay: Title IX, Clery, and the Stop Campus Hazing Act

• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or assault, it triggers federal Title IX obligations for the university to investigate and address a hostile environment.
• Clery Act: Requires universities to report certain campus crimes, which can include hazing-related assaults.
• Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): A new federal law requiring greater transparency. By 2026, universities must publish more detailed hazing incident reports, increasing public accountability.

Section 4: National Hazing Case Patterns – The Script That Repeats in Texas

The horrific hazing incidents that make national news are not isolated. They reveal predictable patterns—scripts that dangerous organizations follow, whether at Bowling Green State University or right here in Texas. Understanding these patterns is key to proving that injuries were foreseeable and preventable.

The Forced Alcohol Death Pattern

• Timothy Piazza – Penn State, Beta Theta Pi (2017): A bid-acceptance night with a hazing ritual called “the gauntlet” forced pledges to drink excessively. Piazza suffered fatal falls captured on chapter house security cameras. Brothers delayed calling 911 for hours. The case led to the Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law in Pennsylvania and resulted in criminal charges against 28 brothers.
• Max Gruver – LSU, Phi Delta Theta (2017): A “Bible study” drinking game where incorrect answers meant gulping hard liquor. Gruver died of alcohol poisoning (BAC 0.495%). This led to the Max Gruver Act in Louisiana, upgrading hazing to a felony. His family later won a $6.1 million verdict against a former member.
• Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State University, Pi Kappa Alpha (2021): A “Big/Little” night where Foltz was told to finish an entire bottle of whiskey. He died from alcohol poisoning. The chapter president was later ordered to pay $6.5 million personally. The university settled for nearly $3 million, and the national fraternity also settled.

The Takeaway for Texas Families: The “Big/Little” event, the drinking game, the pressure to finish a bottle—these are not spontaneous parties. They are planned, traditional, and tragically predictable rituals that national headquarters know about.

The Physical & Ritualized Hazing Pattern

• Chun “Michael” Deng – Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi (2013): At an off-campus retreat, Deng was blindfolded, weighted with a backpack, and repeatedly tackled in a ritual called “the glass ceiling.” He died of traumatic brain injury. The national fraternity was criminally convicted of manslaughter and assault—a rare instance of organizational criminal liability. The fraternity was banned from Pennsylvania for 10 years.

The Takeaway: Hazing moves off-campus to avoid detection, but liability follows. National organizations can be held criminally responsible for the actions of their chapters.

The Catastrophic Injury Pattern

• Danny Santulli – University of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) (2021): During a “pledge dad reveal,” Santulli was forced to drink a bottle of vodka. He suffered permanent, catastrophic brain damage. He cannot walk, talk, or see and requires 24/7 care for life. His family settled with 22 different defendants, showcasing the wide net of liability in serious cases.

The Takeaway: Death is not the only tragic outcome. Life-altering injuries bring a lifetime of medical costs and suffering, which must be accounted for in a life care plan during litigation.

What These Cases Mean for Shallowater Families

These national precedents are not abstract. They create the legal and strategic playbook we use for cases at Texas Tech, Texas A&M, UT, and other Texas schools. They show courts and juries that:

• These injuries are foreseeable.
• National organizations have prior knowledge of these deadly rituals.
• Cover-ups and delays in seeking help aggravate liability.
• Multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements are the established consequence for this misconduct.

Section 5: Texas University Focus – Where Shallowater Families Send Their Kids

Shallowater is proudly connected to the academic excellence of Texas. Our students attend universities across the state, each with its own campus culture and documented hazing challenges. Here is what families need to know about the major hubs where our children study.

5.1 Texas Tech University – Our Lubbock County Neighbor

Campus & Culture Snapshot: As the dominant university in our region, Texas Tech in Lubbock is a destination for countless Shallowater students. It boasts a robust Greek life community, a strong athletic tradition, and the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.

Documented Incidents & Hazing Climate: Texas Tech has faced hazing allegations within its Greek system. The university maintains disciplinary records, and specific fraternities have faced suspensions for violations related to alcohol, coercion, and endangerment. The proximity of the campus means local media and courts in Lubbock County are often the first to respond to and adjudicate these incidents.

What Shallowater Students & Parents Should Know:

• Jurisdiction: Incidents may involve the Texas Tech University Police Department (TTUPD) and the Lubbock Police Department. Civil cases would typically be filed in Lubbock County courts.
• Action Steps: Report immediately to the TTU Office of Student Conduct and the Dean of Students. Given the local connection, evidence and witnesses may be more accessible, but the pressure to remain silent within a tight-knit community can be intense.
• Our Role: As Texas-based attorneys, we understand the local dynamics of Lubbock and West Texas. We know how to investigate cases at Texas Tech thoroughly and sensitively.

5.2 Texas A&M University – Corps Culture and Greek Life

Campus & Culture Snapshot: Texas A&M’s culture is deeply rooted in tradition, epitomized by its Corps of Cadets. This military-style system, alongside a massive Greek life presence, creates environments where hazing can be disguised as “discipline” or “team building.”

Documented Incidents:

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Chemical Burns Case (2021): Pledges alleged they were forced to do strenuous exercise while being doused with a mixture containing industrial-strength cleaner, raw eggs, and spit, causing severe chemical burns that required skin graft surgeries. The pledges sued for over $1 million, and the chapter was suspended.
• Corps of Cadets “Roasted Pig” Lawsuit (2023): A cadet alleged severe hazing, including being bound between beds in a simulated sexual position with an apple in his mouth—a practice called “roasted pig.” He sought over $1 million in damages. Texas A&M stated it addressed the matter internally.

What Families Should Know: The combination of Greek life and the Corps means hazing investigations must untangle complex traditions and institutional loyalties. The university’s internal “Aggie Honor Code” can sometimes conflict with external legal accountability.

5.3 University of Texas at Austin – Transparency and Repeated Violations

Campus & Culture Snapshot: UT Austin is the state’s flagship university with an enormous and diverse student organization ecosystem, from large Interfraternity Council chapters to spirit groups like the Texas Cowboys.

Public Transparency: UT maintains a public Hazing Violations webpage, listing sanctioned organizations—a level of transparency other schools should emulate. A review shows repeated patterns:

• Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): Sanctioned for hazing after new members were directed to consume excessive milk and perform strenuous calisthenics.
• Other Spirit & Greek Groups: Multiple entries show sanctions for forced drinking, extreme workouts, and psychological abuse.

What Families Should Know: This public record is a powerful tool. It demonstrates pattern and notice—the university and national organizations cannot claim they were unaware of hazing problems. These prior violations significantly strengthen a civil case.

5.4 University of Houston – Our Flagship Active Case

Campus & Culture Snapshot: A large, urban commuter and residential campus with active Greek life. This is the home of our current, major hazing litigation, which serves as a prime example of what we fight.

The Leonel Bermudez / Pi Kappa Phi (Beta Nu) Case – Active Litigation by Attorney911:
In late 2025, we filed a $10 million lawsuit on behalf of Leonel Bermudez, a UH student and Pi Kappa Phi pledge. The complaint details a campaign of horrific abuse during the Fall 2025 pledge period, including:

• Humiliation: Being forced to carry a “pledge fanny pack” 24/7 containing condoms, a sex toy, and other degrading items.
• Physical Torture: Endless sprints, bear crawls, and “save-your-brother” drills. Being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding.” Forced consumption of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting.
• The Breaking Point: On November 3, Bermudez was forced through 100+ push-ups and 500 squats. He deteriorated over days, began passing brown urine, and was rushed to the hospital. He was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure, requiring a four-day hospitalization with ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage.
• Defendants: We sued 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.

The fraternity chapter was suspended on November 6 and voted to surrender its charter on November 14. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing.” This case, covered by Click2Houston and ABC13, is not history—it is active proof of our firm’s commitment to taking on the hardest hazing cases right now.

5.5 Southern Methodist University & Baylor University

• SMU: As a private university in Dallas with a prominent Greek system, SMU has faced hazing scandals, including a Kappa Alpha Order chapter suspension in 2017 for paddling and forced drinking. Private school status affects transparency but not liability.
• Baylor: Following its high-profile athletic scandals, Baylor has faced hazing allegations within its baseball program (2020 suspension of 14 players) and Greek life. Its religious identity adds another layer to the institutional response.

The Common Thread for All Texas Schools: Whether public or private, large or small, they all harbor organizations capable of severe hazing. The institutions often prioritize their reputation and the stability of their Greek or athletic systems over the safety of individual students, until forced by litigation to do otherwise.

Section 6: The Organizations Behind the Letters – National Histories Matter

When a hazing incident occurs at a Texas Tech fraternity, it is rarely an isolated “bad apple” chapter. That chapter is part of a national organization with a history, a risk management policy, and often, a trail of similar incidents across the country. This history is critical to building a case.

Why National Histories Create Liability

National fraternities and sororities create liability for themselves through:

1. Prior Knowledge: When the same ritual (e.g., a “Big/Little” drinking night) causes death at Bowling Green (Pi Kappa Alpha), the national headquarters is on notice that this practice is lethally dangerous. If a chapter at UT or Texas A&M repeats it, the national can be sued for negligent supervision.
2. Inadequate Policy Enforcement: Nationals have thick anti-hazing manuals, but if they are not enforced—if chapters are merely put on “probation” for serious violations—it shows the policies are a sham. We subpoena national headquarters’ internal discipline records to prove this.
3. Insurance and Control: Nationals collect dues, provide branded materials, and exert control over chapters. This relationship establishes a duty of care. When they fail, their deep-pocketed insurance policies often become the source of recovery for victims.

Cross-Campus Pattern Evidence: A Sample

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): Faced a traumatic brain injury lawsuit at the University of Alabama (2023), a chemical burns lawsuit at Texas A&M (2021), and an assault lawsuit at UT Austin (2024). This is a national pattern.
• Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike): The Foltz death at BGSU ($10M+ in settlements) is part of a decades-long pattern of alcohol hazing deaths and injuries across the country.
• Phi Delta Theta: The Max Gruver death at LSU is the most famous in a series of alcohol hazing incidents.

For a Shallowater family dealing with a hazing incident at Texas Tech, this means our investigation doesn’t stop at the Lubbock chapter house. We investigate the national organization’s history to prove they knew the risks and failed to prevent them.

Section 7: Building a Hazing Case – Investigation, Evidence, and Strategy

Pursuing justice after a hazing incident is a complex, multi-front battle against organizations that are expert at cover-ups. Our approach is methodical, aggressive, and informed by our unique experience.

The Evidence That Wins Cases

We act swiftly to secure:

• Digital Communications: GroupMe, WhatsApp, and text message threads showing planning, coercion, and boasts about the hazing. We work with digital forensics experts to recover deleted messages. Our video on using your phone to document evidence outlines critical first steps.
• Social Media & Photos: Posts, stories, and privately shared videos that document the events or injuries.
• Medical Records: Documentation linking injuries directly to the hazing event. For conditions like rhabdomyolysis (as in the UH case), this includes lab reports showing critically high creatine kinase levels.
• Internal Organization Records: Obtained through subpoena, these include pledge manuals, chapter meeting minutes, and communications with national headquarters.
• University Records: Prior conduct reports on the same organization, obtained through discovery or public records requests, to show a pattern the school ignored.
• Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, roommates, and bystanders.

The Damages We Fight to Recover

Hazing causes profound harm, and Texas law allows recovery for:

• Economic Damages: All past and future medical expenses (ER, hospitalization, surgery, therapy, lifelong care), lost wages, and diminished future earning capacity if injuries are permanent.
• Non-Economic Damages: Physical pain, emotional distress, trauma (PTSD), humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: If tragedy strikes, families can recover funeral costs, loss of companionship, and emotional anguish.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of especially reckless or malicious conduct, courts can award damages to punish the defendants and deter future behavior.

Overcoming Institutional Defense Tactics

We anticipate and counter the standard defenses:

• “The Victim Consented”: We cite Texas law (§ 37.155) and use evidence of coercion and power imbalance to demolish this argument.
• “It Was a Rogue Chapter”: We use the national pattern evidence and lax enforcement of policies to prove the national organization is culpable.
• “It Happened Off-Campus”: We establish that the university and national still exercised control and that the activity was foreseeable.
• “Our Insurance Doesn’t Cover Intentional Acts”: Here, Mr. Lupe Peña’s background as a former insurance defense attorney is invaluable. We argue that the negligent supervision by the national or university—not just the intentional act of hazing—is what triggered the harm, potentially preserving coverage.

Section 8: Practical Guides & FAQs for Shallowater Families and Students

For Parents: A Step-by-Step Action Plan

1. Prioritize Safety & Health: Get immediate medical attention for any injury or intoxication. Health comes first.
2. Preserve Evidence: Help your child screenshot ALL relevant group chats, texts, and social media posts. Photograph injuries. Save any physical items. Do not let them delete anything out of shame or fear.
3. Document Everything: Write down a timeline with names, dates, locations, and what your child tells you.
4. Seek Legal Counsel BEFORE Reporting: Contact us at 1-888-ATTY-911 before making formal reports. We can guide you on how to report in a way that protects your child’s rights and preserves evidence. Do not sign anything from the university or an insurance adjuster.
5. Understand the University’s Role: The school’s primary interest is limiting its own liability. Their “internal investigation” is not designed to get your family full compensation or justice.

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

• Trust Your Instincts: If you feel coerced, endangered, or humiliated, it is likely hazing.
• You Have the Right to Leave: You can de-pledge or quit an organization at any time. Your safety is more important than any membership.
• Texas Law Protects Reporters: You have immunity for reporting in good faith. The “Good Samaritan” rule also protects those who call for medical help, even if underage drinking was involved.
• Preserve Evidence: Take screenshots. Save emails. Tell a trusted friend or family member what is happening.

Critical Mistakes That Can Ruin a Case

We detail these in our video on client mistakes. The biggest errors include:

• Deleting digital evidence.
• Confronting the organization before talking to a lawyer.
• Signing a quick settlement or release from the university.
• Posting about the incident on social media.
• Letting the statute of limitations expire. In Texas, you generally have two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit, but the clock starts ticking immediately. Watch our video on statutes of limitation for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can we sue Texas Tech or another public university in Texas?
A: Yes, but it is complex. Public universities have sovereign immunity, but it can be waived in cases of gross negligence, property damage, or when suing individual employees in their personal capacity. We know how to navigate these hurdles.

Q: How much does a hazing lawyer cost?
A: We work on a contingency fee basis. This means we only get paid if we win your case, receiving a percentage of the recovery. You pay no upfront fees. Learn more in our video on how contingency fees work.

Q: Will my child’s name be made public?
A: We fight to protect our clients’ privacy. Most cases settle confidentially before trial. If a lawsuit is filed, we can use pseudonyms (e.g., John Doe) in certain circumstances to shield identities.

Q: What if the hazing happened at an off-campus house or Airbnb?
A: Location does not eliminate liability. The sponsoring organization (fraternity, team) and the university can still be held responsible if they knew or should have known about the event.

Section 9: Why Attorney911 for Your Hazing Case

At The Manginello Law Firm / Attorney911, we are not just personal injury lawyers. We are institutional accountability litigators with specific, proven advantages for hazing cases affecting Shallowater families.

Our Unique, Unmatched Advantages

1. Insider Insurance Knowledge (Mr. Lupe Peña): Mr. Peña spent years as an insurance defense attorney for a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers evaluate claims, fight coverage, and use delay tactics. We know their playbook because we used to help write it. This insight is priceless in maximizing recovery for our clients.

2. Proven Experience Against Giant Institutions (Mr. Ralph Manginello): We are one of the few firms in Texas that was involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation, taking on a billion-dollar corporation. We are not intimidated by the deep pockets and aggressive defense teams of national fraternities and major universities. We have federal court experience and a track record of complex, multi-defendant litigation.

3. Active, High-Stakes Hazing Litigation: We are not theorizing about hazing law. Right now, we are lead counsel in the $10 million Leonel Bermudez vs. University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit. This active case demonstrates our commitment, expertise, and readiness to fight the hardest battles.

4. Comprehensive Investigative Engine: We don’t just take a statement. We deploy a full investigative strategy: subpoenaing national fraternity records, recovering deleted digital evidence, working with medical experts to document lifelong injuries, and consulting economists to value loss. For Texas cases, we maintain detailed data on Greek organizations across the state.

5. Dual Civil & Criminal Capability: Mr. Manginello’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the criminal side of hazing cases. We can effectively advise clients navigating parallel criminal and civil proceedings, or represent witnesses who may have exposure.

6. Empathy and Commitment: We understand the trauma your family is experiencing. We are parents ourselves. Our mission is to secure the resources your child needs to heal, to hold every responsible party accountable, and to force changes that prevent this from happening to another family in Shallowater or anywhere else.

Your Next Step: A Confidential, No-Obligation Consultation

If you suspect or know that your child has been hazed at any university—whether it’s Texas Tech here in Lubbock County, Texas A&M, UT, UH, or anywhere in the nation—you do not have to navigate this crisis alone.

We offer a free, completely confidential case evaluation. In this consultation, we will:

• Listen compassionately to your story.
• Explain your family’s legal rights and options under Texas and federal law.
• Outline the investigation process and what you can realistically expect.
• Answer all your questions about timelines, costs, and strategy.
• Help you make an informed decision about the best path forward for your child’s future.

There is no pressure to hire us. There is no fee unless we win your case.

Contact Attorney911 – The Legal Emergency Lawyers™

Call us 24/7: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct Line: (713) 528-9070
Spanish-Language Services Available: Hablamos Español. Contact Mr. Lupe Peña at lupe@atty911.com.

Website: https://attorney911.com
Learn about our wrongful death practice: https://attorney911.com/law-practice-areas/wrongful-death-claim-lawyer/
Meet Mr. Ralph Manginello: https://attorney911.com/attorneys/ralph-manginello/
Meet Mr. Lupe Peña: https://attorney911.com/attorneys/lupe-pena/

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