code: @Throws(IllegalNullArgumentException.class)
  	public static <T> T notNull(@Nonnull final T reference, @Nullable final String name) {
  		if (reference == null) {
  			throw new IllegalNullArgumentException(name);
  		}
  		return reference;
  	}
docs: Ensures that an object reference passed as a parameter to the calling method is not {@code null}.
  
  @param reference
  an object reference
  @param name
  name of object reference (in source code)
  @return the non-null reference that was validated
  @throws IllegalNullArgumentException
  if the given argument {@code reference} is {@code null}