Gregory Hauser, Wuersch & Gering, LLP The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued an opinion on September 13, 2007, that poses a potential problem for social fraternities and sororities asserting freedom of association rights against public...

For only the second time in Fraternal Law’s 26-year history, we have increased subscription rates to keep up with the rapidly increasing printing and shipping costs.  Individual subscriptions are now $15.00 each, small bulk subscriptions (between 25-299 copies) are now...

Tim Burke, Manley Burke, tburke@manleyburke.com The Sigma Sigma Sigma Chapter at Missouri State had been on campus there since 1945.  In recent years, the Chapter had some problems, including a reported seven criminal reports from the House since October 2006,...

Tim Burke, Manley Burke, tburke@manleyburke.com On Sunday morning, May 6, 2007, Jenny Poliakoff, a freshman member of Alpha Phi at San Diego State, was found dead in her apartment.  The medical examiner subsequently found her death to be due to...

Daniel McCarthy, Manley Burke David Fiacco, in his role as the Director of the Office of Community Standards, Rights and Responsibilities oversaw the student discipline process at the University of Maine at Orono (“UMO”).  In 2002, Fiacco’s office started an...

Daniel McCarthy Two professors at the University of Maine, Drs. Elizabeth J. Allan and Mary Madden, recently spearheaded one of the most in-depth and thorough hazing studies ever conducted.  The initial findings of the study, entitled, Hazing in View: College...

The National Anti-Hazing Hotline (1-888-668-4293) is now entering its second year in existence.  Twenty-seven national Greek organizations, including 17 men’s groups and 10 women’s groups, sponsored the first-year of the Hotline.  All 27 original sponsors return as sponsors for the...

David Westol In our Greek letter community, hazing is near the top of the pyramid in terms of potential for criminal and civil litigation.  Over forty states have hazing laws and several states have upgraded those to include felony status...

Tim Burke, Manley Burke, tburke@manleyburke.com A court of appeals in the State of Washington recently issued a decision1 which bodes well for the ability of students living in a fraternity house to protect their privacy while in the house. A...

Tim Burke, Manley Burke, tburke@manleyburke.com A little over ten years ago, Phi Delta Theta took the dramatic step of adopting an Alcohol-Free Housing Policy, becoming the largest men’s organization to prohibit alcoholic beverages entirely from its chapter properties.1 The Phi...