code: public static DateFormat getDateFormat(final Element element) {
  		if (XMLTags.FORMAT.equals(element.getName())) {
  			return createDateFormat(element);
  		}
  		Element child = element.getChild(XMLTags.FORMAT);
  		if (child != null) {
  			return createDateFormat(child);
  		}
  		return getDateFormat(element.getParentElement());
  	}
docs: Searches for a format element in the given element. If none is found the XML tree hierarchy
  is searched upwards unto the root. If this is the case the default format object is returned.