diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/spark/ui/ContactList.java b/core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/spark/ui/ContactList.java
index 80d6a755f..49f1694b6 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/spark/ui/ContactList.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/spark/ui/ContactList.java
@@ -2056,7 +2056,7 @@ public class ContactList extends JPanel implements ActionListener,
             return -1;
         }
 
-        return group1.getGroupName().trim().toLowerCase().compareTo(group2.getGroupName().trim().toLowerCase());
+        return group1.getGroupName().trim().compareToIgnoreCase(group2.getGroupName().trim());
     };
 
     public JPanel getMainPanel() {
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/spark/ui/RosterPickList.java b/core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/spark/ui/RosterPickList.java
index 27f5125b2..2b044cd6c 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/spark/ui/RosterPickList.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/spark/ui/RosterPickList.java
@@ -159,8 +159,7 @@ public class RosterPickList extends JPanel {
             return 0;
         }
 
-        return nickname1.toLowerCase().compareTo(nickname2.toLowerCase());
-
+        return nickname1.compareToIgnoreCase(nickname2);
     };
 
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/spark/ui/conferences/GroupChatParticipantList.java b/core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/spark/ui/conferences/GroupChatParticipantList.java
index d46ed7e8d..76787b438 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/spark/ui/conferences/GroupChatParticipantList.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/spark/ui/conferences/GroupChatParticipantList.java
@@ -1089,7 +1089,7 @@ public class GroupChatParticipantList extends JPanel {
 	}
 
 	private int compareWithoutRole(String s1, String s2) {
-	    return (s1.toLowerCase().compareTo(s2.toLowerCase()));
+        return s1.compareToIgnoreCase(s2);
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/sparkimpl/plugin/privacy/ui/PrivacyAddDialogUI.java b/core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/sparkimpl/plugin/privacy/ui/PrivacyAddDialogUI.java
index c593ae033..3c4798e93 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/sparkimpl/plugin/privacy/ui/PrivacyAddDialogUI.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/sparkimpl/plugin/privacy/ui/PrivacyAddDialogUI.java
@@ -244,7 +244,6 @@ public class PrivacyAddDialogUI extends JPanel {
             return 0;
         }
 
-        return nickname1.toLowerCase().compareTo(nickname2.toLowerCase());
-
+        return nickname1.compareToIgnoreCase(nickname2);
     };
 }
diff --git a/plugins/sip/src/main/java/net/java/sipmack/media/JmfMediaManager.java b/plugins/sip/src/main/java/net/java/sipmack/media/JmfMediaManager.java
index 1bc7856a9..9d4ea8592 100644
--- a/plugins/sip/src/main/java/net/java/sipmack/media/JmfMediaManager.java
+++ b/plugins/sip/src/main/java/net/java/sipmack/media/JmfMediaManager.java
@@ -725,8 +725,7 @@ public class JmfMediaManager {
    	 
    	 for(String codec: codecs) {
    		 for(String format : formate) {
-   			 if(format != null 
-   				 && format.toLowerCase().equals(codec.toLowerCase()))
+             if (format != null && format.equalsIgnoreCase(codec))
    				 return new AudioFormat(format);
    		 }
    	 }
@@ -742,7 +741,7 @@ public class JmfMediaManager {
    	 String[] codecs = localPreferences.getSelectedCodecs().split("\\^");
    	 for(AudioFormat form : all) {
    		 for(String codec: codecs) {
-	   		 if(form.getEncoding().toLowerCase().equals(codec.toLowerCase())){
+             if (form.getEncoding().equalsIgnoreCase(codec)) {
 	   			 format.add(form);
 	   		 }
    		 }
diff --git a/plugins/sip/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/sparkplugin/ui/transfer/TransferGroupUI.java b/plugins/sip/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/sparkplugin/ui/transfer/TransferGroupUI.java
index 8dd67544e..53f21a0ec 100644
--- a/plugins/sip/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/sparkplugin/ui/transfer/TransferGroupUI.java
+++ b/plugins/sip/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/sparkplugin/ui/transfer/TransferGroupUI.java
@@ -275,9 +275,7 @@ public class TransferGroupUI extends JPanel {
      */
     final Comparator<RosterEntry> entryComparator = new Comparator<RosterEntry>() {
         public int compare(RosterEntry one, RosterEntry two) {
-            final RosterEntry entryOne = one;
-            final RosterEntry entryTwo = two;
-            return entryOne.getName().toLowerCase().compareTo(entryTwo.getName().toLowerCase());
+            return one.getName().compareToIgnoreCase(two.getName());
 
         }
     };