Commonwealth v. King, J.

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA EASTERN DISTRICT COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, : No. 457 EAL 2017 : Petitioner : : Petition for Allowance of Appeal from : the Order of the Superior Court v. : : : JEROME KING, : : Respondent : ORDER PER CURIAM AND NOW, this 30th day of April, 2018, the Petition for Allowance of Appeal is GRANTED. The issue, as phrased by the Commonwealth, is: Did the Superior Court commit a significant and potentially far-reaching error of law when, in contravention of Pennsylvania law and the greater weight of authority nationally, it issued a published decision holding that PCRA courts may bar the Commonwealth from speaking with [a defendant’s] trial counsel prior to evidentiary hearings on defense claims that counsel provided ineffective assistance? Justice Wecht did not participate in the consideration or decision of this matter.