FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.8.0_20"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_20-b26)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.20-b23, mixed mode)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Darwin MacProSimon.fritz.box 14.0.0 Darwin Kernel Version 14.0.0: Fri Sep 19 00:26:44 PDT 2014; root:xnu-2782.1.97~2/RELEASE_X86_64 x86_64
OSX 10.10

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
IntelliJ crashed. After a restart it failed to compile the source code and displayed this message, asking to send a bug report.



REGRESSION. Last worked in version 8u20

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Work with IntelliJ until it crashes??

Now compilation fails with the IntelliJ runner and gradle task.

Going back to an earlier commit doesn't help. The problem seems to be with Java.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
Compilation should work.
ACTUAL -
See the Stacktrace in the description.

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
Information:Using javac 1.8.0_20 to compile java sources
Information:java: An exception has occurred in the compiler (1.8.0_20). Please file a bug at the Java Developer Connection (http://java.sun.com/webapps/bugreport) after checking the Bug Parade for duplicates. Include your program and the following diagnostic in your report. Thank you.
Information:java: at java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClass1(Native Method)
Information:java: at java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClass(ClassLoader.java:760)
Information:java: at java.security.SecureClassLoader.defineClass(SecureClassLoader.java:142)
Information:java: at java.net.URLClassLoader.defineClass(URLClassLoader.java:455)
Information:java: at java.net.URLClassLoader.access$100(URLClassLoader.java:73)
Information:java: at java.net.URLClassLoader$1.run(URLClassLoader.java:367)
Information:java: at java.net.URLClassLoader$1.run(URLClassLoader.java:361)
Information:java: at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
Information:java: at java.net.URLClassLoader.findClass(URLClassLoader.java:360)
Information:java: at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:424)
Information:java: at sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader.loadClass(Launcher.java:308)
Information:java: at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:357)
Information:java: at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.<init>(Attr.java:409)
Information:java: at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.instance(Attr.java:102)
Information:java: at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Resolve.<init>(Resolve.java:121)
Information:java: at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Resolve.instance(Resolve.java:155)
Information:java: at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Check.<init>(Check.java:111)
Information:java: at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Check.instance(Check.java:99)
Information:java: at com.sun.tools.javac.code.Types.<init>(Types.java:115)
Information:java: at com.sun.tools.javac.code.Types.instance(Types.java:102)
Information:java: at com.sun.tools.javac.jvm.ClassReader.<init>(ClassReader.java:287)
Information:java: at com.sun.tools.javac.jvm.ClassReader.instance(ClassReader.java:249)
Information:java: at com.sun.tools.javac.main.JavaCompiler.<init>(JavaCompiler.java:348)
Information:java: at com.sun.tools.javac.main.JavaCompiler.instance(JavaCompiler.java:88)
Information:java: at com.sun.tools.javac.main.Main.compile(Main.java:485)
Information:java: at com.sun.tools.javac.api.JavacTaskImpl.doCall(JavacTaskImpl.java:129)
Information:java: at com.sun.tools.javac.api.JavacTaskImpl.call(JavacTaskImpl.java:138)
Information:java: at org.jetbrains.jps.javac.JavacMain.compile(JavacMain.java:165)
Information:java: at org.jetbrains.jps.incremental.java.JavaBuilder.compileJava(JavaBuilder.java:407)
Information:java: at org.jetbrains.jps.incremental.java.JavaBuilder.compile(JavaBuilder.java:304)
Information:java: at org.jetbrains.jps.incremental.java.JavaBuilder.doBuild(JavaBuilder.java:210)
Information:java: at org.jetbrains.jps.incremental.java.JavaBuilder.build(JavaBuilder.java:182)
Information:java: at org.jetbrains.jps.incremental.IncProjectBuilder.runModuleLevelBuilders(IncProjectBuilder.java:1106)
Information:java: at org.jetbrains.jps.incremental.IncProjectBuilder.runBuildersForChunk(IncProjectBuilder.java:814)
Information:java: at org.jetbrains.jps.incremental.IncProjectBuilder.buildTargetsChunk(IncProjectBuilder.java:862)
Information:java: at org.jetbrains.jps.incremental.IncProjectBuilder.buildChunkIfAffected(IncProjectBuilder.java:777)
Information:java: at org.jetbrains.jps.incremental.IncProjectBuilder.buildChunks(IncProjectBuilder.java:600)
Information:java: at org.jetbrains.jps.incremental.IncProjectBuilder.runBuild(IncProjectBuilder.java:352)
Information:java: at org.jetbrains.jps.incremental.IncProjectBuilder.build(IncProjectBuilder.java:184)
Information:java: at org.jetbrains.jps.cmdline.BuildRunner.runBuild(BuildRunner.java:129)
Information:java: at org.jetbrains.jps.cmdline.BuildSession.runBuild(BuildSession.java:224)
Information:java: at org.jetbrains.jps.cmdline.BuildSession.run(BuildSession.java:113)
Information:java: at org.jetbrains.jps.cmdline.BuildMain$MyMessageHandler$1.run(BuildMain.java:157)
Information:java: at org.jetbrains.jps.service.impl.SharedThreadPoolImpl$1.run(SharedThreadPoolImpl.java:41)
Information:java: at java.util.concurrent.Executors$RunnableAdapter.call(Executors.java:511)
Information:java: at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:266)
Information:java: at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1142)
Information:java: at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:617)
Information:java: at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745)
Information:java: Errors occurred while compiling module 'ParkingMeter'
Information:Compilation completed with 1 error and 0 warnings in 2 sec
Information:1 error
Information:0 warnings
Error:java: java.lang.ClassFormatError: Illegal UTF8 string in constant pool in class file com/sun/source/util/SimpleTreeVisitor

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced rarely.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
Any should do.
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CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
I will try reinstalling the JDK. I will update the report if it works again.