Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 2802 (2026)

Hazing.

✓ current as of May 2026

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§ 2802. Hazing.

(a) Offense defined.--A person commits the offense of hazing if the person intentionally, knowingly or recklessly, for the purpose of initiating, admitting or affiliating a minor or student into or with an organization, or for the purpose of continuing or enhancing a minor or student's membership or status in an organization, causes, coerces or forces a minor or student to do any of the following:

(1) Violate Federal or State criminal law.

(2) Consume any food, liquid, alcoholic liquid, drug or other substance which subjects the minor or student to a risk of emotional or physical harm.

(3) Endure brutality of a physical nature, including whipping, beating, branding, calisthenics or exposure to the elements.

(4) Endure brutality of a mental nature, including activity adversely affecting the mental health or dignity of the individual, sleep deprivation, exclusion from social contact or conduct that could result in extreme embarrassment.

(5) Endure brutality of a sexual nature.

(6) Endure any other activity that creates a reasonable likelihood of bodily injury to the minor or student.

(b) Grading.--

(1) Except as provided under paragraph (2), hazing is a summary offense.

(2) Hazing shall be a misdemeanor of the third degree if it results in or creates a reasonable likelihood of bodily injury to the minor or student.

(c) Limitation.--Hazing shall not include reasonable and customary athletic, law enforcement or military training, contests, competitions or events.

Cross References. Section 2802 is referred to in sections 2803, 2804, 2805 of this title.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 6 cases (5 in the last 5 years), 2020–2026 · leading case: Humphries v. Barber (M.D. Penn. 2021).

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Humphries v. Barber (M.D. Penn. 2021). · cites it 3× “228 By its very terms, the hazing statute does not extend to every act of abuse or violence at a college; enduring abuse while a student, or even while a member of a 226 18 Pa. C.S. § 2802. 227 Doc. 58 at ¶¶ 144–159.”

In the Int. of: D.N., III, a Minor (Pa. Super. Ct. 2025). · cites it 3× “Both the trial court in its Rule 1925(a) opinion and the Commonwealth suggest that the Commonwealth presented sufficient evidence to warrant an adjudication of delinquency under 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 2802 (a)(4), (5), and (6). See Trial Ct.”

Humphries v. Barber (M.D. Penn. 2020). “56 18 Pa. C.S. § 2802. 57 Id. Plaintiff fares worse with his claim as to Franklin.”

Jean v. Bucknell Univ. (M.D. Penn. 2021). “part, section 2802 holds that “[a] person commits the offense of hazing if the person intentionally, knowingly or recklessly, for the purpose of initiating, admitting or affiliating a minor or student into or with an organization, for the purpose of continuing or enhancing a…”

J.R. v. Greater Latrobe Sch. Dist. (W.D. Pa. 2023). “Plaintiff asserts he has sufficiently alleged that the District violated 18 Pa.C.S. § 2802, known as the Piazza Antihazing Law, in arguing that he has stated claims against the District for negligence per se.”

Isaiah Humphries v. Pennsylvania State Univ. (3rd Cir. 2026). “18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 2802; 24 Pa. Stat. § 5352 (repealed).”

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 2802(a)(1) — 1 case

In the Int. of: D.N., III, a Minor (Pa. Super. Ct. 2025). “Both the trial court in its Rule 1925(a) opinion and the Commonwealth suggest that the Commonwealth presented sufficient evidence to warrant an adjudication of delinquency under 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 2802 (a)(4), (5), and (6). See Trial Ct.”

Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.