diff --git a/checker/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/checker/initialization/InitializationVisitor.java b/checker/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/checker/initialization/InitializationVisitor.java
index 037c703fbf0..a60a99d1dea 100644
--- a/checker/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/checker/initialization/InitializationVisitor.java
+++ b/checker/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/checker/initialization/InitializationVisitor.java
@@ -123,17 +123,16 @@ protected void checkThisOrSuperConstructorCall(
     @Override
     protected boolean commonAssignmentCheck(
             Tree varTree,
-            ExpressionTree valueExp,
+            ExpressionTree valueExpTree,
             @CompilerMessageKey String errorKey,
             Object... extraArgs) {
         // field write of the form x.f = y
         if (TreeUtils.isFieldAccess(varTree)) {
             // cast is safe: a field access can only be an IdentifierTree or MemberSelectTree
             ExpressionTree lhs = (ExpressionTree) varTree;
-            ExpressionTree y = valueExp;
             VariableElement el = TreeUtils.variableElementFromUse(lhs);
-            AnnotatedTypeMirror xType = atypeFactory.getReceiverType(lhs);
-            AnnotatedTypeMirror yType = atypeFactory.getAnnotatedType(y);
+            AnnotatedTypeMirror lhsReceiverType = atypeFactory.getReceiverType(lhs);
+            AnnotatedTypeMirror valueExpType = atypeFactory.getAnnotatedType(valueExpTree);
             // the special FBC rules do not apply if there is an explicit
             // UnknownInitialization annotation
             AnnotationMirrorSet fieldAnnotations =
@@ -141,11 +140,11 @@ protected boolean commonAssignmentCheck(
             if (!AnnotationUtils.containsSameByName(
                     fieldAnnotations, atypeFactory.UNKNOWN_INITIALIZATION)) {
                 if (!ElementUtils.isStatic(el)
-                        && !(atypeFactory.isInitialized(yType)
-                                || atypeFactory.isUnderInitialization(xType)
-                                || atypeFactory.isFbcBottom(yType))) {
+                        && !(atypeFactory.isInitialized(valueExpType)
+                                || atypeFactory.isUnderInitialization(lhsReceiverType)
+                                || atypeFactory.isFbcBottom(valueExpType))) {
                     @CompilerMessageKey String err;
-                    if (atypeFactory.isInitialized(xType)) {
+                    if (atypeFactory.isInitialized(lhsReceiverType)) {
                         err = COMMITMENT_INVALID_FIELD_WRITE_INITIALIZED;
                     } else {
                         err = COMMITMENT_INVALID_FIELD_WRITE_UNKNOWN_INITIALIZATION;
@@ -155,7 +154,7 @@ protected boolean commonAssignmentCheck(
                 }
             }
         }
-        return super.commonAssignmentCheck(varTree, valueExp, errorKey, extraArgs);
+        return super.commonAssignmentCheck(varTree, valueExpTree, errorKey, extraArgs);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/javacutil/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/javacutil/ElementUtils.java b/javacutil/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/javacutil/ElementUtils.java
index a94bafee434..831fa8ac721 100644
--- a/javacutil/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/javacutil/ElementUtils.java
+++ b/javacutil/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/javacutil/ElementUtils.java
@@ -162,8 +162,7 @@ public static TypeElement toplevelEnclosingTypeElement(Element element) {
     public static PackageElement enclosingPackage(Element elem) {
         Element result = elem;
         while (result != null && result.getKind() != ElementKind.PACKAGE) {
-            Element encl = result.getEnclosingElement();
-            result = encl;
+            result = result.getEnclosingElement();
         }
         return (PackageElement) result;
     }
diff --git a/javacutil/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/javacutil/TreeUtils.java b/javacutil/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/javacutil/TreeUtils.java
index 27f47d3284f..6ee85e6f2ff 100644
--- a/javacutil/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/javacutil/TreeUtils.java
+++ b/javacutil/src/main/java/org/checkerframework/javacutil/TreeUtils.java
@@ -148,9 +148,7 @@ private TreeUtils() {
             TREEMAKER_SELECT =
                     TreeMaker.class.getMethod("Select", JCExpression.class, Symbol.class);
         } catch (NoSuchMethodException e) {
-            Error err = new AssertionError("Unexpected error in TreeUtils static initializer");
-            err.initCause(e);
-            throw err;
+            throw new AssertionError("Unexpected error in TreeUtils static initializer", e);
         }
     }