J-S53040-19

NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

v.

WALTER STANLEY REISS 

Appellant

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 IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF

 PENNSYLVANIA

 No. 856 EDA 2019

Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence Entered October 19, 2018

In the Court of Common Pleas of Northampton County Criminal Division 

at No(s): CP-48-CR-0001288-2018

BEFORE: OLSON, J., STABILE, J., and NICHOLS, J.

MEMORANDUM BY NICHOLS, J.: FILED MARCH 11, 2020

Appellant Walter Stanley Reiss appeals from the judgment of sentence 

imposed after a jury found him guilty of two counts of arson.1 Appellant 

challenges the sufficiency of the evidence. Because the record does not 

contain an order denying Appellant’s post-verdict or post-sentence motions, 

we are constrained to quash this appeal. 

The procedural history of this appeal is as follows. On November 1, 

2017, the Commonwealth filed a criminal complaint against Appellant alleging 

that Appellant set fire to his home to collect insurance and in so doing, placed 

firefighters at risk of death or serious bodily injury. Appellant obtained private 

counsel, Christopher W. Koschier, Esq., who entered his appearance on April 

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1 18 Pa.C.S. § 3301(a)(1)(i) (arson endangering persons), (c)(3) (arson 

endangering property with intent to collect insurance). 
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23, 2018. The matter proceeded to a jury trial. On September 6, 2018, the 

jury found Appellant guilty of the above-mentioned crimes. 

On October 19, 2018, Attorney Koschier filed a post-verdict motion 

seeking a new trial and leave to withdraw as counsel. That same day, the trial 

court convened the sentencing hearing. The trial court considered Attorney 

Koschier’s post-verdict motion for a new trial as a post-sentence motion. N.T., 

10/19/18, at 3 (describing Attorney Koschier’s motion as a premature postsentence motion). The trial court sentenced Appellant to an aggregate term 

of thirty-three to seventy-two months’ imprisonment and restitution to State 

Farm Insurance Company and the fire department. After imposing sentence, 

the trial court heard from Attorney Koschier on his motion for leave to 

withdraw as counsel. Id. at 60-62. Appellant and the Commonwealth did not 

object to Attorney Koschier’s withdrawal. Id. at 61-62.

On October 24, 2018, the trial court granted Attorney Koschier leave to 

withdraw and directed the Office of the Public Defender to represent Appellant 

on appeal. On November 28, 2018, the trial court ordered Alexander J. 

Karam, Jr., Esq., to represent Appellant as conflicts counsel.

On January 11, 2019, Attorney Karam filed a praecipe to withdraw, and 

Appellant’s current counsel, Gerald A. Stein, Esq., entered his appearance. 

On January 23, 2019, Attorney Stein filed a post-sentence motion.

2

 The 

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2

It does not appear from the record that Attorney Stein requested leave to 

file a post-sentence motion nunc pro tunc. However, although the record does 
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Commonwealth filed a response on February 5, 2019. It appears that the trial 

court did not rule on Attorney Koschier’s post-verdict motion or Attorney 

Stein’s post-sentence motion, because no such order appears in the record or 

the docket.

On March 15, 2019, Attorney Stein filed a notice of appeal from the 

judgment of sentence. In the notice of appeal, Attorney Stein represented

that “post-verdict/sentence motions [were] denied by operation of law as of 

2/17/19.” Notice of Appeal, 3/15/19. The trial court did not order a Pa.R.A.P. 

1925(b) statement, but issued an opinion finding no merit to Appellant’s postverdict and post-sentence motions. 

Before addressing the merits of this appeal, we must consider whether 

we have jurisdiction. “[S]ince the question of appealability implicates the 

jurisdiction of this Court, the issue may be raised by this Court sua sponte.”

Commonwealth v. Horn, 172 A.3d 1133, 1135 (Pa. Super. 2017) (citation 

and internal alterations omitted). “[T]he final, appealable order for a 

defendant’s direct appeal in a criminal case is the judgment of sentence, not 

the conviction.” Commonwealth v. Claffey, 80 A.3d 780, 782-83 (Pa. 

Super. 2013) (citation omitted). If a defendant files a timely post-sentence 

motion, then the notice of appeal must be filed within thirty days of the entry 

of the order deciding the motion. Pa.R.Crim.P. 720(A)(2)(a). “No direct 

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not contain a written order, the trial court stated that it permitted Attorney 

Stein additional time to file supplemental post-sentence motions with a brief. 

Trial Ct. Op., 4/16/19, at 2. Moreover, the trial court received and considered 

Attorney Stein’s post-sentence motions. Id. at 3, 11.
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appeal may be taken by a defendant while his or her post-sentence motion is 

pending.” Pa.R.Crim.P. 720 cmt. (citation omitted). 

Instantly, Attorney Koschier filed a post-verdict motion, which the trial 

court appeared to consider as a timely post-sentence motion. See N.T., 

10/19/18, at 3. Additionally, after the trial court permitted Attorney Koschier

to withdraw, Attorney Stein filed a post-sentence motion, which the trial court 

apparently accepted. However, there is no order in the record either denying 

the post-verdict motion or memorializing the denial of that motion by 

operation of law. Additionally, even if the trial court granted leave for Attorney 

Stein to file a post-sentence motion nunc pro tunc, there is no order denying 

that motion. 

Because the entry of an appropriate order is a prerequisite to this Court’s 

exercise of jurisdiction, we conclude that Appellant’s notice of appeal was 

premature. See Pa.R.Crim.P. 720(A)(2)(a) & cmt.; Claffey, 80 A.3d at 782-

83. Accordingly, we are compelled to quash the appeal. See 

Commonwealth v. Borrero, 692 A.2d 158, 161 (Pa. Super. 1997) (quashing 

the appellant’s premature appeal and explaining that the interests of justice 

required the trial court to consider the post-sentence motions on remand, 

nunc pro tunc). 

Appeal quashed. 
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Judgment Entered.

Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.

Prothonotary

Date: 3/11/20