diff --git a/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/ast/SimpleNodeTest.java b/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/ast/SimpleNodeTest.java
index b0124cc68c..f30fc90e3a 100644
--- a/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/ast/SimpleNodeTest.java
+++ b/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/ast/SimpleNodeTest.java
@@ -131,10 +131,7 @@ public class SimpleNodeTest
     public void testFindChildrenOfType() {
         ASTBlock block = new ASTBlock(2);
         block.jjtAddChild(new ASTReturnStatement(1), 0);
-
-        List nodes = new ArrayList();
-        block.findChildrenOfType(ASTReturnStatement.class, nodes);
-        assertEquals(1, nodes.size());
+        assertEquals(1, block.findChildrenOfType(ASTReturnStatement.class).size());
     }
 
     public void testFindChildrenOfTypeMultiple() {
diff --git a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/ast/SimpleNode.java b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/ast/SimpleNode.java
index e5516de10b..9507b62e65 100644
--- a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/ast/SimpleNode.java
+++ b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/ast/SimpleNode.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ package net.sourceforge.pmd.ast;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.symboltable.Scope;
 
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 
 public class SimpleNode implements Node {
   protected Node parent;
@@ -100,6 +101,12 @@ public class SimpleNode implements Node {
         return endColumn;
     }
 
+    public List findChildrenOfType(Class targetType) {
+        List list = new ArrayList();
+        findChildrenOfType(targetType, list);
+        return list;
+    }
+
     public void findChildrenOfType(Class targetType, List results) {
         findChildrenOfType(this, targetType, results, true);
     }
diff --git a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/AssignmentInOperandRule.java b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/AssignmentInOperandRule.java
index 5c16853f19..61ee1f7e25 100644
--- a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/AssignmentInOperandRule.java
+++ b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/AssignmentInOperandRule.java
@@ -24,9 +24,7 @@ public class AssignmentInOperandRule extends AbstractRule implements Rule {
     }
 
     private void checkForAssignmentInConditionalExpression(SimpleNode node, Object data) {
-        List kids = new ArrayList();
-        SimpleNode ifExpression = (SimpleNode)node.jjtGetChild(0);
-        ifExpression.findChildrenOfType(ASTAssignmentOperator.class, kids);
+        List kids = ((SimpleNode)node.jjtGetChild(0)).findChildrenOfType(ASTAssignmentOperator.class);
         if (!kids.isEmpty()) {
             RuleContext ctx = (RuleContext)data;
             ctx.getReport().addRuleViolation(createRuleViolation(ctx, node.getBeginLine()));
diff --git a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/AtLeastOneConstructorRule.java b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/AtLeastOneConstructorRule.java
index aab66915df..7e5e0b8c01 100644
--- a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/AtLeastOneConstructorRule.java
+++ b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/AtLeastOneConstructorRule.java
@@ -14,9 +14,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 public class AtLeastOneConstructorRule extends AbstractRule implements Rule {
 
     public Object visit(ASTClassDeclaration node, Object data) {
-        List constructors = new ArrayList();
-        node.findChildrenOfType(ASTConstructorDeclaration.class, constructors);
-        if (constructors.isEmpty())  {
+        if (node.findChildrenOfType(ASTConstructorDeclaration.class).isEmpty())  {
             RuleContext ctx = (RuleContext)data;
             ctx.getReport().addRuleViolation(createRuleViolation(ctx, node.getBeginLine()));
         }