} } class Main { public static void main(String [] args) { try { String operator = parseOperator("f"); } catch(OperatorException e) { // Must be +, -, or / System.out.println(e.getMessage()); } } public static String parseOperator(String isThisOperator) throws OperatorException { String [] operators = {"+", "-", "/"}; boolean success = false; for(String operator: operators) { if(operator.equals(isThisOperator)) { success = true; } } if(success) { return isThisOperator; } else { OperatorException ex = new OperatorException("Must be +, -, or /"); throw ex; } } } To give additional information about the Exception, you can use message