DefaultMutableTreeNode gn = new DefaultMutableTreeNode(g.getName()); gn.setUserObject(g); DefaultMutableTreeNode w = (DefaultMutableTreeNode) value; WiiGame ww = (WiiGame) w.getUserObject(); This errors Exception in thread "AWT-EventQueue-0" java.lang.ClassCastException: java.lang.String cannot be cast to com.Friendcodes.wiiSave.WiiGame