diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/checkstyle/ReportResource.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/checkstyle/ReportResource.java
index 4cb930c..0188c80 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/checkstyle/ReportResource.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/checkstyle/ReportResource.java
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
     public void copy( String resourceName ) throws IOException
     {
         File resource = new File( outputDirectory, resourceName );
-        if ( ( resource != null ) && ( !resource.exists() ) )
+        if ( !resource.exists() )
         {
             URL url =
                 Thread.currentThread().getContextClassLoader().getResource( resourcePathBase + "/" + resourceName );