code: private Date parseDate(String dateString)
      throws ParseException {
  
          // Return null if no date provided
          java.util.Date parsedDate = DateField.parse(dateString);
          if (parsedDate == null)
              return null;
  
          // Convert to SQL Date
          return new Date(parsedDate.getTime());
  
      }
docs: Parses the given string into a corresponding date. The string must
  follow the standard format used by date attributes, as defined by
  DateField.FORMAT and as would be produced by DateField.format().
  
  @param dateString
  The date string to parse, which may be null.
  
  @return
  The date corresponding to the given date string, or null if the
  provided date string was null or blank.
  
  @throws ParseException
  If the given date string does not conform to the standard format
  used by date attributes.