diff --git a/sevntu-checks/src/main/java/com/github/sevntu/checkstyle/checks/coding/NumericLiteralNeedsUnderscoreCheck.java b/sevntu-checks/src/main/java/com/github/sevntu/checkstyle/checks/coding/NumericLiteralNeedsUnderscoreCheck.java
index 961ff250ab..2c36c77fa0 100644
--- a/sevntu-checks/src/main/java/com/github/sevntu/checkstyle/checks/coding/NumericLiteralNeedsUnderscoreCheck.java
+++ b/sevntu-checks/src/main/java/com/github/sevntu/checkstyle/checks/coding/NumericLiteralNeedsUnderscoreCheck.java
@@ -368,8 +368,10 @@ private static boolean isField(final DetailAST ast) {
             current = current.getParent();
         }
         return current.getType() == TokenTypes.VARIABLE_DEF
-                && current.branchContains(TokenTypes.LITERAL_STATIC)
-                && current.branchContains(TokenTypes.FINAL);
+                && current.findFirstToken(TokenTypes.MODIFIERS)
+                    .findFirstToken(TokenTypes.LITERAL_STATIC) != null
+                && current.findFirstToken(TokenTypes.MODIFIERS)
+                    .findFirstToken(TokenTypes.FINAL) != null;
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/sevntu-checks/src/main/java/com/github/sevntu/checkstyle/checks/design/HideUtilityClassConstructorCheck.java b/sevntu-checks/src/main/java/com/github/sevntu/checkstyle/checks/design/HideUtilityClassConstructorCheck.java
index c4375723de..a060ce2aa5 100644
--- a/sevntu-checks/src/main/java/com/github/sevntu/checkstyle/checks/design/HideUtilityClassConstructorCheck.java
+++ b/sevntu-checks/src/main/java/com/github/sevntu/checkstyle/checks/design/HideUtilityClassConstructorCheck.java
@@ -79,9 +79,9 @@ public void visitToken(DetailAST ast) {
                     final DetailAST modifiers =
                         child.findFirstToken(TokenTypes.MODIFIERS);
                     final boolean isStatic =
-                        modifiers.branchContains(TokenTypes.LITERAL_STATIC);
+                        modifiers.findFirstToken(TokenTypes.LITERAL_STATIC) != null;
                     final boolean isPrivate =
-                        modifiers.branchContains(TokenTypes.LITERAL_PRIVATE);
+                        modifiers.findFirstToken(TokenTypes.LITERAL_PRIVATE) != null;
 
                     if (!isStatic && !isPrivate) {
                         hasNonStaticMethodOrField = true;
@@ -94,8 +94,8 @@ public void visitToken(DetailAST ast) {
                     hasDefaultCtor = false;
                     final DetailAST modifiers =
                         child.findFirstToken(TokenTypes.MODIFIERS);
-                    if (!modifiers.branchContains(TokenTypes.LITERAL_PRIVATE)
-                        && !modifiers.branchContains(TokenTypes.LITERAL_PROTECTED)) {
+                    if (modifiers.findFirstToken(TokenTypes.LITERAL_PRIVATE) == null
+                        && modifiers.findFirstToken(TokenTypes.LITERAL_PROTECTED) == null) {
                         // treat package visible as public
                         // for the purpose of this Check
                         hasPublicCtor = true;
diff --git a/sevntu-checks/src/main/java/com/github/sevntu/checkstyle/checks/design/StaticMethodCandidateCheck.java b/sevntu-checks/src/main/java/com/github/sevntu/checkstyle/checks/design/StaticMethodCandidateCheck.java
index a5e5e1e86d..14a335cc64 100644
--- a/sevntu-checks/src/main/java/com/github/sevntu/checkstyle/checks/design/StaticMethodCandidateCheck.java
+++ b/sevntu-checks/src/main/java/com/github/sevntu/checkstyle/checks/design/StaticMethodCandidateCheck.java
@@ -247,8 +247,8 @@ private Frame createMethodFrame(Frame parentFrame, DetailAST ast) {
         final DetailAST modifiersAst = ast.findFirstToken(TokenTypes.MODIFIERS);
         final String methodName = ast.findFirstToken(TokenTypes.IDENT).getText();
         final Frame frame = new Frame(parentFrame);
-        if (modifiersAst.branchContains(TokenTypes.LITERAL_PRIVATE)
-                && !modifiersAst.branchContains(TokenTypes.LITERAL_STATIC)
+        if (modifiersAst.findFirstToken(TokenTypes.LITERAL_PRIVATE) != null
+                && modifiersAst.findFirstToken(TokenTypes.LITERAL_STATIC) == null
                 && !skippedMethods.contains(methodName)) {
             frame.isPrivateMethod = true;
             frame.ast = ast;
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ private static String getIdentText(DetailAST field) {
      */
     private static boolean hasStaticModifier(DetailAST ast) {
         return ast.findFirstToken(TokenTypes.MODIFIERS)
-            .branchContains(TokenTypes.LITERAL_STATIC);
+            .findFirstToken(TokenTypes.LITERAL_STATIC) != null;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ private static boolean findStaticMethod(Frame startFrame, DetailAST methodCall,
                             || parametersAst.branchContains(TokenTypes.ELLIPSIS))) {
                     final DetailAST modifiersAst = method.findFirstToken(TokenTypes.MODIFIERS);
 
-                    if (modifiersAst.branchContains(TokenTypes.LITERAL_STATIC)) {
+                    if (modifiersAst.findFirstToken(TokenTypes.LITERAL_STATIC) != null) {
                         // if a static method is found, we keep searching for a similar
                         // non-static one to the end of the frame and if a non-static
                         // method is not found, then the checked method is still