Government attorneys filed their defense Wednesday against a lawsuit that contends that how Colorado funds schools violates the constitution. The case could be heard as soon as later this year by the state Supreme Court, with major implications on the state budget.

A Denver District judge ruled last year that the state's educational funding system is "irrational and inadequate" and that there isn't a single district that is sufficiently funded.

The plaintiffs did not ask for a monetary amount but they estimate that state schools are underfunded by $4 billion.