College basketball's mid-major 2017 conference realignment has catalyzed major litigation. 

As first reported by Forbes, the Horizon League has filed a $500,000 lawsuit against Valparaiso University and the Missouri Valley Conference. Valpo left the Horizon League on July 1 to join the Missouri Valley Conference after the Valley lost powerhouse member Wichita State to the American Athletic Conference. The Horizon League claims Valpo breached its contract with the conference when it maneuvered an exit from the league without giving a year's notice.

The Horizon League claims its bylaws -- which Valparaiso helped revise after that league lost flagship member Butler to the Atlantic 10 in 2012 -- mandate a one-year heads-up before a school can leave the conference. In absence of that, the exit fee is $500,000. 

Valparaiso's official announcement that it would be leaving the Horizon League came on May 25. On June 27, the conference filed its lawsuit against its former school and the conference that was taking the Crusaders. 

More background, via NWI.com: 

Horizon League bylaws also stipulate no lawsuits should be brought by either party unless written notice has been provided and both parties have met for "the purpose of negotiating in good faith an informal resolution of the dispute."

Valparaiso spokesperson Nicole Niemi stated that no arbitration between the parties took place. Horizon League Commissioner Jon LeCrone was unavailable for comment Thursday night.

"There is a true legal dispute here," Niemi said. "Valpo wants to compromise and never wanted anything litigated. We are surprised and disappointed that the Horizon League has been unwilling to compromise and we had deep regret that they chose litigation over the mandatory arbitration as mandated (in the bylaws)."

The Horizon officially announced its replacement of Valparaiso -- with IUPUI -- one day after the suit was filed. 

Whether or not the suit actually gets to court remains to be determined. Valparaiso and the Horizon League could opt to settle before the case winds up in a courtroom, but it appears Valparaiso will be paying its former league, but the sum remains to be determined.