Rule Definition
The finalize method is careful to call super.finalize from a finally block. All finalize methods should call super.finalize to ensure that any superclass finalize methods are invoked. Unlike superclass constructors that are invoked automatically, finalize methods must be chained manually. The super.finalize call is made from a finally block to ensure that it is called regardless of whether the call to the cleanup method generates an exception.

Remediation
Add a try finally block.

Violation Code Sample

class Test
{
 // ...
  protected void finalize() throws Throwable {
    cleanup();
    super.finalize(); // VIOLATION
  }
}

Fixed Code Sample

class Test
{
 // ...
  protected void finalize() throws Throwable  {
    try {
      cleanup();
    } finally { 
      super.finalize();  // FIXED: the finalize method will
                               // execute the superclass finalizer 
                               // before re-throwing the IOException
                               // object.
    }
  }

Helping objects to a tidy end Steve Ball and John Miller Crawford http://www.adtmag.com/java/articleold.aspx?id=43