             }
             
             // convert to Core Data value...
-            var value: AnyObject
+            var value: AnyObject?
             
             // one of these will be nil
             let relationshipDescription: NSRelationshipDescription? = entity.relationshipsByName[predicateKey!] as? NSRelationshipDescription

            if relationshipDescription != nil {
                
                // to-one
                if relationshipDescription!.toMany {
                    
                    let resourceID = jsonPredicateValue as? Int
                    
                    // verify
                    if resourceID != nil {
                        
                        let response = ServerResponse(statusCode: ServerStatusCode.BadRequest, JSONResponse: nil)
                        
                        return (response, userInfo)
                    }
                    
                    let error = NSErrorPointer()
                    
                    let fetchedResource =
                }
            }
            
        }
        
        return (ServerResponse(statusCode: ServerStatusCode.BadRequest, JSONResponse: ""), [ServerUserInfoKey.ResourceID:0])
    }

        
        let predicateOperatorObject: AnyObject? = searchParameters![SearchParameter.PredicateOperator.toRaw()]
        
        let predicateOperatorNumber = predicateOperatorObject as? UInt
        
        let predicateOperator = NSPredicateOperatorType.fromRaw(predicateOperatorNumber!)
        
        if (predicateKey != nil) && (predicateOperator != nil) && (jsonPredicateValue != nil) {
            
            // validate operator
            
            if predicateOperatorNumber == NSPredicateOperatorType.CustomSelectorPredicateOperatorType.toRaw() {
                
                let response = ServerResponse(statusCode: ServerStatusCode.BadRequest, JSONResponse: nil)
                
