#vulnerable code 
                             private static Object[] coerceToEqualLength(PDataType baseType, Object[] elements) {
	    if (elements == null || elements.length == 0) {
	        return elements;
	    }
	    Object element = elements[0];
	    int maxLength = baseType.getMaxLength(element);
	    boolean resizeElements = false;
	    for (int i = 1; i < elements.length; i++) {
	        int length = baseType.getMaxLength(elements[i]);
	        if (length > maxLength) {
	            maxLength = length;
	            resizeElements = true;
	        } else if (length < maxLength) {
	            resizeElements = true;
	        }
	    }
	    if (!resizeElements) {
	        return elements;
	    }
	    return coerceToNewLength(baseType, elements, maxLength);
	} 
                            #location 6 
                            #vulnerability type NULL_DEREFERENCE
#fixed code
                             private static Object[] coerceToEqualLength(PDataType baseType, Object[] elements) {
	    if (elements == null || elements.length == 0) {
	        return elements;
	    }
        int maxLength = 0;
        boolean resizeElements = false;
        for (int i = 0; i < elements.length; i++) {
            Integer length = baseType.getMaxLength(elements[i]);
            if (length != null) {
                if (maxLength == 0){
                    maxLength = length;
                    continue;
                }
                if (length > maxLength) {
                    maxLength = length;
                    resizeElements = true;
                } else if (length < maxLength) {
                    resizeElements = true;
                }
            } else {
                resizeElements = true;
            }
        }
	    if (!resizeElements) {
	        return elements;
	    }
	    return coerceToNewLength(baseType, elements, maxLength);
	}