diff --git a/avro/pom.xml b/avro/pom.xml
index aa8c01a02..341ccd49b 100644
--- a/avro/pom.xml
+++ b/avro/pom.xml
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ abstractions.
     <dependency>
       <groupId>ch.qos.logback</groupId>
       <artifactId>logback-classic</artifactId>
-      <version>1.2.11</version>
+      <version>1.2.12</version>
       <scope>test</scope>
     </dependency>
     <!-- For validating more complex comparisons -->
diff --git a/ion/README.md b/ion/README.md
index d719095a2..db4460c4c 100644
--- a/ion/README.md
+++ b/ion/README.md
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ SomeType otherValue = mapper.readValue(data, SomeType.class);
 
 ### java.time JSR 310
 
-With version 2.12 (to be released in September 2020), there will be optional support for
+Version 2.12 (released on November 28, 2020) added support for
 (de)serializing some `java.time` classes directly from/to Ion timestamp values.
-To enable it, you need to registed module `IonJavaTimeModule` like so:
+To enable it, you need to register module `IonJavaTimeModule` like so:
 
 ```java
 IonObjectMapper mapper = IonObjectMapper.builder()
diff --git a/ion/src/main/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/jsr310/IonTimestampInstantDeserializer.java b/ion/src/main/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/jsr310/IonTimestampInstantDeserializer.java
index 7eef0c2a7..e767480d3 100644
--- a/ion/src/main/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/jsr310/IonTimestampInstantDeserializer.java
+++ b/ion/src/main/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/jsr310/IonTimestampInstantDeserializer.java
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ public ValueDeserializer<T> createContextual(DeserializationContext ctxt, BeanPr
 
         final JsonFormat.Value format = findFormatOverrides(ctxt, property, handledType());
         if (format != null) {
-            return new IonTimestampInstantDeserializer<T>(this,
+            return new IonTimestampInstantDeserializer<>(this,
                     format.getFeature(Feature.ADJUST_DATES_TO_CONTEXT_TIME_ZONE));
         }
         return this;
diff --git a/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/DataBindRoundtripTest.java b/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/DataBindRoundtripTest.java
index d9e8ee68f..849b2a93a 100644
--- a/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/DataBindRoundtripTest.java
+++ b/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/DataBindRoundtripTest.java
@@ -174,9 +174,9 @@ public void testIonRoot() throws IOException {
         Bean bean = m.readValue(root, Bean.class);
         assertNotNull(bean);
         assertEquals(bean.a, "test");
-        assertTrue(bean.b == 0.25);
+        assertEquals(0.25, bean.b, 0.0);
         assertArrayEquals(new byte[0], bean.data);
-        assertEquals(bean.state, true);
+        assertTrue(bean.state);
         assertNotNull(bean.sub);
         assertEquals("yellow", bean.sub.getValue());
         assertEquals("testSymbol", bean.symbol);
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ private void _testRoundTrip(Bean bean, RoundTrippers rt, IonObjectMapper m) thro
 
         assertNotNull(result);
         assertEquals(bean.a, result.a);
-        assertTrue(bean.b == result.b);
+        assertEquals(bean.b, result.b, 0.0);
         assertArrayEquals(bean.data, result.data);
         assertEquals(bean.state, result.state);
         if (bean.sub == null)
@@ -233,6 +233,6 @@ private void _testRoundTrip(Bean bean, RoundTrippers rt, IonObjectMapper m) thro
         assertEquals(bean.enumVal, result.enumVal);
         assertEquals(bean.bigDec, result.bigDec);
         assertEquals(bean.bigInt, result.bigInt);
-        assertTrue(bean.f == result.f);
+        assertEquals(bean.f, result.f, 0.0);
     }
 }
diff --git a/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/IonGeneratorTest.java b/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/IonGeneratorTest.java
index e9495f0ba..b383f725b 100644
--- a/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/IonGeneratorTest.java
+++ b/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/IonGeneratorTest.java
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public class IonGeneratorTest {
         "}";
 
     static {
-        final Map<String, String> map = new HashMap<String, String>();
+        final Map<String, String> map = new HashMap<>();
         map.put("a", "A");
         map.put("b", "B");
         map.put("c", "C");
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ public void setUp() throws Exception {
     @Test
     public void testSimpleWrite() throws Exception {
         joiGenerator.writeBoolean(true);
-        assertThat(output.get(0), is((IonValue)ionSystem.newBool(true)));
+        assertThat(output.get(0), is(ionSystem.newBool(true)));
     }
 
     @Test
diff --git a/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/IonParserTest.java b/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/IonParserTest.java
index 1cf42eb3a..8b3d87214 100644
--- a/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/IonParserTest.java
+++ b/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/IonParserTest.java
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ public void testGetNumberTypeAndValue() throws Exception {
         IonParser decimalParser = ionFactory.createParser(EMPTY_READ_CTXT, ionDecimal);
         Assert.assertEquals(JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_FLOAT, decimalParser.nextToken());
         Assert.assertEquals(JsonParser.NumberType.BIG_DECIMAL, decimalParser.getNumberType());
-        Assert.assertTrue(new BigDecimal("" + decimalValue).compareTo((BigDecimal)decimalParser.getNumberValue()) == 0);
+        Assert.assertEquals(0, new BigDecimal("" + decimalValue).compareTo((BigDecimal) decimalParser.getNumberValue()));
 
         Double floatValue = Double.MAX_VALUE;
         IonValue ionFloat = ion.newFloat(floatValue);
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ public void testGetNumberTypeAndValue() throws Exception {
         IonParser bigDecimalParser = ionFactory.createParser(EMPTY_READ_CTXT, ionBigDecimal);
         Assert.assertEquals(JsonToken.VALUE_NUMBER_FLOAT, bigDecimalParser.nextToken());
         Assert.assertEquals(JsonParser.NumberType.BIG_DECIMAL, bigDecimalParser.getNumberType());
-        Assert.assertTrue(bigDecimalValue.compareTo((BigDecimal)bigDecimalParser.getNumberValue()) == 0);
+        Assert.assertEquals(0, bigDecimalValue.compareTo((BigDecimal) bigDecimalParser.getNumberValue()));
     }
 
     @Test
diff --git a/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/SimpleIonWriteTest.java b/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/SimpleIonWriteTest.java
index 198979f87..47f9ffe01 100644
--- a/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/SimpleIonWriteTest.java
+++ b/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/SimpleIonWriteTest.java
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ private void _writeSimple(JsonGenerator gen) throws IOException
         gen.writeStartObject();
         gen.writeStringProperty("a", "value");
         gen.writeNumberProperty("b", 42);
-        ((IonGenerator)gen).writeName("c");
+        gen.writeName("c");
         ((IonGenerator)gen).writeNull(IonType.INT);
         gen.writeEndObject();
         gen.close();
diff --git a/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/failing/PolymorphicRoundtripTest.java b/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/failing/PolymorphicRoundtripTest.java
index 88a8f4b7d..e73b09344 100644
--- a/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/failing/PolymorphicRoundtripTest.java
+++ b/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/failing/PolymorphicRoundtripTest.java
@@ -249,14 +249,14 @@ public void testSelectivePolymorphism() throws IOException {
         // to be chosen (and we expect that first id to be the most narrow type, ChildBeanSub).
         Bean deserialized = mapper.readValue(serialized, Bean.class);
 
-        assertTrue(deserialized.child.getClass().equals(ChildBeanSub.class));
+        assertEquals(deserialized.child.getClass(), ChildBeanSub.class);
         assertEquals(((ChildBeanSub) original.child).extraField, ((ChildBeanSub) deserialized.child).extraField);
 
         // second, try deserializing with the wider type (ChildBean). We're losing data (extraField)
         preferredTypeId = getClass().getCanonicalName() + "$ChildBean";
         deserialized = mapper.readValue(serialized, Bean.class);
 
-        assertTrue(deserialized.child.getClass().equals(ChildBean.class));
+        assertEquals(deserialized.child.getClass(), ChildBean.class);
         assertEquals(original.child.someField, deserialized.child.someField);
 
         // third, try deserializing into an Object. The child node should deserialize, but immediately fail mapping.
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ class MultipleClassNameIdResolver extends ClassNameIdResolver implements Multipl
 
         @Override
         public String[] idsFromValue(Object value) {
-            List<String> ids = new ArrayList<String>();
+            List<String> ids = new ArrayList<>();
             Class<?> cls = value.getClass();
             while (null != cls) {
                 ids.add(super.idFromValueAndType(value, cls));
diff --git a/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/failing/UncaughtException303Test.java b/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/failing/UncaughtException303Test.java
index b6f2ac496..bac953835 100644
--- a/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/failing/UncaughtException303Test.java
+++ b/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/failing/UncaughtException303Test.java
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ void verifyException(Throwable e, String match)
     {
         String msg = e.getMessage();
         String lmsg = (msg == null) ? "" : msg.toLowerCase();
-        if (lmsg.indexOf(match.toLowerCase()) < 0) {
+        if (!lmsg.contains(match.toLowerCase())) {
             fail("Expected an exception with a substrings ("+match+"): got one with message \""+msg+"\"");
         }
     }
diff --git a/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/ionvalue/IonValueDeserializerTest.java b/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/ionvalue/IonValueDeserializerTest.java
index 8070d5393..e0b3c333d 100644
--- a/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/ionvalue/IonValueDeserializerTest.java
+++ b/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/ionvalue/IonValueDeserializerTest.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 import org.junit.Test;
 
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
 
 public class IonValueDeserializerTest {
     private static class Data<T> {
@@ -208,7 +209,7 @@ public void testWithMissingProperty() throws IOException
         String input2 = "{required:{}}";
         MyBean deserializedBean2 = ionObjectMapper.readValue(input2, MyBean.class);
         assertEquals(ionSystem.newEmptyStruct(), deserializedBean2.required);
-        assertEquals(null, deserializedBean2.optional);
+        assertNull(deserializedBean2.optional);
     }
 
     @Test
diff --git a/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/ionvalue/IonValueMapperTest.java b/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/ionvalue/IonValueMapperTest.java
index 23c87a624..e18b65d9c 100644
--- a/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/ionvalue/IonValueMapperTest.java
+++ b/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/ionvalue/IonValueMapperTest.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 import java.util.Map;
 
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
 
@@ -138,7 +139,7 @@ public void testPojo1() throws Exception {
         TestPojo1 t = ionValueMapper.readValue(ionSystem.singleValue(value), TestPojo1.class);
         assertEquals("yes", t.myString);
         assertEquals("yes", t.mySymbol);
-        assertEquals(false, t.doesThisWork);
+        assertFalse(t.doesThisWork);
         assertEquals(5, t.iHaveSomeOtherName);
         assertEquals(ReturnCode.Success, t.imAnEnum);
         assertEquals(Timestamp.valueOf("2010-01-01T06:00:00Z"), t.someTime);
diff --git a/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/misc/UncaughtExceptionsTest.java b/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/misc/UncaughtExceptionsTest.java
index 30a5eeb06..3b205dc28 100644
--- a/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/misc/UncaughtExceptionsTest.java
+++ b/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/misc/UncaughtExceptionsTest.java
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ void verifyException(Throwable e, String match)
     {
         String msg = e.getMessage();
         String lmsg = (msg == null) ? "" : msg.toLowerCase();
-        if (lmsg.indexOf(match.toLowerCase()) < 0) {
+        if (!lmsg.contains(match.toLowerCase())) {
             fail("Expected an exception with a substrings ("+match+"): got one with message \""+msg+"\"");
         }
     }
diff --git a/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/polymorphism/SerializationAnnotationsTest.java b/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/polymorphism/SerializationAnnotationsTest.java
index 0028805d2..9a999546f 100644
--- a/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/polymorphism/SerializationAnnotationsTest.java
+++ b/ion/src/test/java/tools/jackson/dataformat/ion/polymorphism/SerializationAnnotationsTest.java
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ private static void assertCorrectlyTypedAndFormed(final Subclass expectedSubclas
         assertEquals(expectedSubclass, (Subclass) actualBaseclass);
     }
     private static void assertEquals(Subclass expected, Subclass actual) {
-        Assert.assertEquals(expected.someString, ((Subclass) actual).someString);
-        Assert.assertEquals(expected.anInt, ((Subclass) actual).anInt);
+        Assert.assertEquals(expected.someString, actual.someString);
+        Assert.assertEquals(expected.anInt, actual.anInt);
     }
 
     private static void assertEqualIonValues(IonValue expected, IonValue actual) {