def METHOD_NAME(self, y: dict | list | str | None) -> dict | list | None:
    """
    Parameters:
        y: either a string filepath to a JSON file, or a Python list or dict that can be converted to JSON
    Returns:
        JSON output in Python list or dict format
    """
    if y is None:
        return None
    if isinstance(y, str):
        return json.loads(y)
    else:
        return y