/**
  * Clone the predicates to ensure that the internal reference can't be messed with.
  *
  * @param predicates  the predicates to copy
  * @return the cloned predicates
  */
 internal static Predicate[] copy(Predicate[] predicates)
 {
     if (predicates == null)
     {
         return null;
     }
     return (Predicate[])predicates.clone();
 }