@staticmethod
def flatten_json(dictlist):
    """
        flatten lists of dictionaries of the same variable into one dict
            structure. Inputs: [{'Type': 'Continuous', 'Data': [fixed.acid: 1, ...]},
            {'Type': 'Continuous', 'Data': [fixed.acid : 2, ...]}]
            outputs: {'Type' : 'Continuous', 'Data' : [fixed.acid: 1, fixed.acid: 2]}}

        :param dictlist: list of dictionaries
        :return: flattened structure with column variable as key
        :rtype: dict
        """
    copydict = dictlist[:]
    if len(copydict) > 1:
        for val in copydict[1:]:
            copydict[0]['Data'].extend(val['Data'])
        toreturn = copydict[0]
    elif isinstance(copydict, list):
        toreturn = copydict[0]
    else:
        toreturn = copydict
    assert isinstance(toreturn, dict
        ), """flatten_json output object not of class dict.
                                            
Output class type: {}""".format(
        type(toreturn))
    return toreturn
