TIOBE - Java Coding Standard

Rule: Design32

Synopsis:	No need to check for null before an instanceof
Language:	Java
Severity Level:	4
Category:	Design

Description:

No need to check for null before an instanceof; the instanceof keyword returns false when given a null argument.

class Foo {
 void bar(Object x) {
  if (x != null && x instanceof Bar) {
   // just drop the "x != null" check
  }
 }
}