I am attempting to use a static inner class for unit testing.  As part
its class initialization I want to check that assertions are enabled for
both the inner class and its enclosing class.

Here is an example:

package temp;

public class TestMe
{
   //  Stuff to test goes here

   private static boolean assertionsEnabled()
   {
       try
       {
           assert false;
           return false;
       }
       catch (AssertionError e)
       {
           return true;
       }
   }

   private static class __UnitTest__
   {
       //  Ensure assertions are enabled for this class and TestMe
       
       static
       {
           try
           {
               assert false;
               throw new Error("assertions not enabled");    // 29
           }
           catch (AssertionError e)
           {
               assert TestMe.assertionsEnabled();        // 33
           }
       }

       public static void main(String[] args)
       {
           //  Tests go here
       }
   }
}

When I run with assertions disabled, things go as expected:

[pilcher@home temp]$ java temp.TestMe\$__UnitTest__
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.Error: assertions not enabled
       at temp.TestMe$__UnitTest__.<clinit>(TestMe.java:29)
[pilcher@home temp]$

Turning all (non-system) assertions on also works as expected:

[pilcher@home temp]$ java -ea temp.TestMe\$__UnitTest__
[pilcher@home temp]$

Turning assertions on for the enclosing class seems to also enable them
for the inner class:

[pilcher@home temp]$ java -ea:temp.TestMe temp.TestMe\$__UnitTest__
[pilcher@home temp]$

Attempting to enable assertions for *only* the inner class does not
seem to work, however:

[pilcher@home temp]$ java -ea:temp.TestMe\$__UnitTest__
temp.TestMe\$__UnitTest__
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.Error: assertions not enabled
       at temp.TestMe$__UnitTest__.<clinit>(TestMe.java:29)
[pilcher@home temp]$ java -ea:temp.TestMe.__UnitTest__
temp.TestMe\$__UnitTest__
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.Error: assertions not enabled
       at temp.TestMe$__UnitTest__.<clinit>(TestMe.java:29)
[pilcher@home temp]$

Is this expected behavior?  If so, is it guaranteed?  (The latter would
be nice, because it would allow me to dispense with the
assertionsEnabled() method in the outer class.)

Thanks!