public void testSomething throws Throwable {
  // code doing the preparation of the test 
  // typically inserting stuff in a DB 
  // some of these might set some variable, you'll need to declare 
  final Object referenceThing; 

  final Throwable[] exceptionSpace = new Throwable[1]; 

  // making this an inner class makes it more readable I think 
  Thread separateRun = new Thread() { 
    public void run() { 
      try { 
        // here you perform your test code and typically 
        // there is something like: 
        Object calculatedThing = whateverCall(); 
        assertEquals("Quite unexpected", 
          referenceThing, calculatedThing); 
      } catch (Throwable t) { 
        exceptionSpace[0] = t; 
      } 
    } 
  }; 
  separateRun.start(); 
  separateRun.join(); 

  // this trick makes sure you don't miss out 
  // on the AssertionError nested in the other thread. 
  if (exceptionSpace[0] != null) { 
    throw exceptionSpace[0]; 
  } 
}