Case Name: COMMONWEALTH of Pennsylvania, Respondent v. James Calvin HAMLETT, Jr., Petitioner
Court: Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Jurisdiction: Pennsylvania
Decision Date: 2019-02-13
Citations: 202 A.3d 45
Docket Number: No. 391 WAL 2018
Parties: COMMONWEALTH of Pennsylvania, Respondent
v.
James Calvin HAMLETT, Jr., Petitioner
Judges: 
Reporter: West's Atlantic Reporter, Third Series
Volume: 202
Pages: 45–45

Head Matter:
COMMONWEALTH of Pennsylvania, Respondent
v.
James Calvin HAMLETT, Jr., Petitioner
No. 391 WAL 2018
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
February 13, 2019
ORDER

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
AND NOW, this 13th day of February, 2019, the Petition for Allowance of Appeal is GRANTED. The issue, rephrased for clarity is:
Can the tension between the well-settled rule that the Commonwealth bears the burden of demonstrating harmless error beyond a reasonable doubt and the contradictory principle that an appellate court has the ability to affirm a valid judgment or verdict for any reason appearing as of record be reconciled? If these conflicting principles must be reconciled in favor of the Commonwealth proving harmlessness beyond a reasonable doubt, did the Superior Court err in finding harmless error sua sponte?