public static void serialize(Element elmt, OutputStream ostr) { String usedEncoding = "UTF-8"; Document parent = elmt.getOwnerDocument(); if (parent != null) { String parentEncoding = parent.getXmlEncoding(); if (parentEncoding != null) { usedEncoding = parentEncoding; } } DOMOutputImpl out = new DOMOutputImpl(); out.setEncoding(usedEncoding); DOMSerializerImpl ser = new DOMSerializerImpl(); out.setByteStream(ostr); ser.write(elmt, out); }