code: protected Class<?> loadClass(String name, boolean resolve)
          throws ClassNotFoundException
      {
              // First, check if the class has already been loaded
              Class<?> c = findLoadedClass(name);
              if (c == null) {
                  try {
                      if (parent != null) {
                          c = parent.loadClass(name, false);
                      } else {
                          c = findBootstrapClassOrNull(name);
                      }
                  } catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
                      // ClassNotFoundException thrown if class not found
                      // from the non-null parent class loader
                  }
  
                  if (c == null) {
                      // If still not found, then invoke findClass in order
                      // to find the class.
                      c = findClass(name);
                  }
              }
              return c;
      }
docs: during the entire class loading process.