The following code (Run with Java DB 10.2.1.0 beta):

import java.sql.*;

public class EODExceptionBug
{
    interface PersonQ extends BaseQuery {
        @java.sql.Update(sql="create table tab (i integer)")
            int createTable();
    }
    
    static public void main(String []args)
        throws Exception
    {
String driver = "org.apache.derby.jdbc.EmbeddedDriver";
String url = "jdbc:derby:/tmp/eodbug;create=true";
        
        Connection conn = DriverManager.getConnection(url);
        
        PersonQ pq = conn.createQueryObject(PersonQ.class);

        System.out.println("First create");
        pq.createTable();
        System.out.println("Second create");
        try {
            pq.createTable();
        } catch (SQLRuntimeException e) {
            System.out.println("Should end up here, but don't");
        }
    }
}


Gives the following response:
First create
Second create
java.sql.SQLException: Table/View 'TAB' already exists in Schema 'APP'.
        at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.SQLExceptionFactory.getSQLException(Unknown Source)
        at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.SQLExceptionFactory40.wrapArgsForTransportAcrossDRDA(Unknown Source)
        at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.SQLExceptionFactory40.getSQLException(Unknown Source)
        at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.Util.generateCsSQLException(Unknown Source)
        at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.TransactionResourceImpl.wrapInSQLException(Unknown Source)
        at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.TransactionResourceImpl.handleException(Unknown Source)
        at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedConnection.handleException(Unknown Source)
        at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.ConnectionChild.handleException(Unknown Source)
        at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedStatement.executeStatement(Unknown Source)
        at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement.executeStatement(Unknown Source)
        at org.apache.derby.impl.jdbc.EmbedPreparedStatement.executeUpdate(Unknown Source)
        at com.sun.sql.QueryObjectGeneratorImpl.getUpdateImpl(QueryObjectGeneratorImpl.java:543)
        at com.sun.sql.QueryObjectGeneratorImpl.access$200(QueryObjectGeneratorImpl.java:24)
        at com.sun.sql.QueryObjectGeneratorImpl$3.run(QueryObjectGeneratorImpl.java:244)
        at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
        at com.sun.sql.QueryObjectGeneratorImpl.invoke(QueryObjectGeneratorImpl.java:239)
        at $Proxy0.createTable(Unknown Source)
        at EODExceptionBug.main(EODExceptionBug.java:24)
Caused by: java.sql.SQLException: Table/View 'TAB' already exists in Schema 'APP'.
        ... 18 more
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NullPointerException
        at $Proxy0.createTable(Unknown Source)
        at EODExceptionBug.main(EODExceptionBug.java:24)