Newsletter - Fraternal Law

Clean Sweep: New York Court Dismisses Every Claim Against the Sigma Alpha Mu Defendants in Adult Survivors Act Suit

William T. “Toby” Eveland, Manley Burke LPA, teveland@manleyburke.com Andrew E. Bollinger, Manley Burke LPA, andrew.bollinger@manleyburke.com Logan Caudill, Manley Burke LPA, logan.caudill@manleyburke.com A complete defense win for fraternal organizations. In Van Hooser v. Fine, et al., the Onondaga County Supreme Court...

Kappa Kappa Gamma Case Continues

Timothy M. Burke, Fraternal Law Partners, tburke@manleyburke.com Haellie M. Gordon, Fraternal Law Partners, hgordon@manleyburke.com On September 14, 2026, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, sitting in Denver, Colorado and consisting of a three-judge panel, heard oral...

Can They Keep Their Houses?

Timothy M. Burke, Fraternal Law Partners, tburke@manleyburke.com Danielle E. Bechard, Manley Burke LPA, danielle.bechard@manleyburke.com On August 17, 2026, Attorney General of Pennsylvania, David Sunday, announced the arrests of fourteen people related to a cocaine ring operating out of two fraternity...

Washington Supreme Court Finds University Owed Duty of Care in Fraternity Hazing Death

Megan Suckow, Manley Burke LPA, megan.suckow@manleyburke.com The Washington Supreme Court recently held a state university owed a duty of care to a fraternity member who died following an alcohol-related hazing event, allowing his family’s wrongful death lawsuit against the university...

Delaware Annual Franchise Fees Increase

Alison T. Moore, Fraternal Law Partners and Manley Burke Compliance, LLC, ali.moore@compliancemb.com The Delaware General Assembly passed a bill to increase various filing fees with the Delaware Secretary of State’s Division of Corporations, including a 33.33% increase to the annual...

New Member Educator Faces Felony Charge

Timothy M. Burke, Fraternal Law Partners, tburke@manleyburke.com The March 2026 issue of the Fraternal Law Newsletter reported on the alleged hazing death of Colin Daniel Martenez.[1] Martenez had been a freshman student at Northern Arizona University and a pledge of...

Wilberforce University Undergraduate Dies from Ritual Alcohol Laden Hazing

Timothy M. Burke, Fraternal Law Partners, tburke@manleyburke.com Savanna Jones, an 18-year-old freshmen student at Wilberforce University, died under somewhat mysterious circumstances in April of this year. At that time, University President Vann R. Newkirk issued a letter indicating appropriate authorities...

Louisiana’s Caleb Wilson Anti-Hazing Law Expands Reporting Duties for Student Organizations and Institutions

Megan Suckow,[1] Fraternal Law Partners, megan.suckow@manleyburke.com On May 30, 2026, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed the Caleb Wilson Hazing Prevention Act (the “Act”), a significant amendment to the state’s hazing framework for postsecondary institutions and student organizations. The Act, which...

Local House Corporation, Foundation Allege National Fraternity, Officers, Insurance Broker Engaged In “Conspiracy” Against Chapter

Alison C. Trianfo, Fraternal Law Partners, ali.trianfo@fraternallaw.com A local fraternity house corporation and education foundation filed suit earlier this month against the national fraternity, three national officers, and its insurance broker alleging tortious interference with business expectancy, business conspiracy, and...

“Foreign Sources of Concern” and Florida’s Charitable Solicitation Restrictions

Alison C. Trianfo, Fraternal Law Partners, ali.trianfo@fraternallaw.com Recently, Florida enacted legislation prohibiting charitable organizations from soliciting or receiving contributions from certain “foreign sources of concern.”1 Florida Senate Bill 700, codified in Florida Statutes Chapter 496, applies to all charitable organizations...

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