Methods guarded by null checks should be allowed to exit immediately if the checks are placed at the beginning of the method.

While this approach doesn't agree with the strictest interpretation of this rule, it is by many considered more readable than wrapping the entire method body in a if(x != null) {}

A property to allow return statements in the first N lines (default 0) should make this rule more agreeable to more developers, while still preventing return statements from being buried and scattered around the rest of the method body.