code: public static int compare(String str1, String str2) {
          if( str1 == null || str2 == null) {
              throw new IllegalArgumentException("Arguments cannot be null");
          }
  
          Collator collator = Collator.getInstance(LOCALE_ENGLISH);
          return collator.compare(str1, str2);
      }
docs: Compare two strings with Locale.ENGLISH
  This method is preferred over String.compareTo() method.
  @param str1 String 1
  @param str2 String 2
  @return negative integer if str1 lexicographically precedes str2
  positive integer if str1 lexicographically follows str2
  0 if both strings are equal
  @throws IllegalArgumentException throws exception if both or either of the strings is null