diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/StingException.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/StingException.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b79621a21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/StingException.java
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+package org.broadinstitute.sting;
+
+/**
+ *
+ * User: aaron
+ * Date: Apr 6, 2009
+ * Time: 8:11:12 PM
+ *
+ * The Broad Institute
+ * SOFTWARE COPYRIGHT NOTICE AGREEMENT 
+ * This software and its documentation are copyright 2009 by the
+ * Broad Institute/Massachusetts Institute of Technology. All rights are reserved.
+ *
+ * This software is supplied without any warranty or guaranteed support whatsoever. Neither
+ * the Broad Institute nor MIT can be responsible for its use, misuse, or functionality.
+ *
+ */
+
+
+/**
+ * @author aaron
+ * @version 1.0
+ * @date Apr 6, 2009
+ * <p/>
+ * Class StingException
+ * <p/>
+ * This exception allows us to filter out exceptions that come from core GATK code, and those that
+ * are not homegrown..
+ */
+public class StingException extends Exception {
+    public StingException(String msg) {
+        super(msg);
+    }
+}
+