The Java Language Specification, Third Edition

CLASSES Static Initializers 8.7
agate information about what exceptions might be raised by an anonymous class’
instance initializer to the surrounding expression. Named classes, on the other
hand, can be instantiated in many places. Therefore the only way to propagate
information about what exceptions might be raised by an instance initializer of a
named class is through the throws clauses of its constructors. It follows that a
more liberal rule can be used in the case of anonymous classes. Similar comments
apply to instance variable initializers.
It is a compile-time error if an instance initializer cannot complete normally
(§14.21). If a return statement (§14.17) appears anywhere within an instance initializer,
then a compile-time error occurs.
Use of instance variables whose declarations appear textually after the use is
sometimes restricted, even though these instance variables are in scope. See
§8.3.2.3 for the precise rules governing forward reference to instance variables.
Instance initializers are permitted to refer to the current object this (§15.8.3),
to any type variables (§4.4) in scope and to use the keyword super (§15.11.2,
§15.12).
8.7 Static Initializers
Any static initializers declared in a class are executed when the class is initialized
and, together with any field initializers (§8.3.2) for class variables, may be used to
initialize the class variables of the class (§12.4).
StaticInitializer:
static Block
It is a compile-time error for a static initializer to be able to complete abruptly
(§14.1, §15.6) with a checked exception (§11.2). It is a compile-time error if a
static initializer cannot complete normally (§14.21).
The static initializers and class variable initializers are executed in textual
order.
Use of class variables whose declarations appear textually after the use is
sometimes restricted, even though these class variables are in scope. See §8.3.2.3
for the precise rules governing forward reference to class variables.
If a return statement (§14.17) appears anywhere within a static initializer,
then a compile-time error occurs.
If the keyword this (§15.8.3) or any type variable (§4.4) defined outside the
initializer or the keyword super (§15.11, §15.12) appears anywhere within a
static initializer, then a compile-time error occurs.
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