Can I invoke a JSP error page from a servlet?

Yes, you can invoke the JSP error page and pass the exception object to it from within a servlet. The trick is to create a request dispatcher for the JSP error page, and pass the exception object as a javax.servlet.jsp.jspException request attribute. However, note that you can do this from only within controller servlets. If your servlet opens an OutputStream or PrintWriter, the JSP engine will throw the following translation error:

java.lang.IllegalStateException: 
  Cannot forward as OutputStream or Writer has already been obtained

The following code snippet demonstrates the invocation of a JSP error page from within a controller servlet:

protected void sendErrorRedirect(HttpServletRequest request,
   HttpServletResponse response, String errorPageURL, 
   Throwable e)
       throws ServletException, IOException {
    request.setAttribute ("javax.servlet.jsp.jspException", e);
    getServletConfig().getServletContext().
     getRequestDispatcher(errorPageURL).forward(request, 
       response);
}

public void doPost(HttpServletRequest request,
   HttpServletResponse response) {
 try {
 // do something
 } catch (Exception ex) {
  try {
   sendErrorRedirect(request,response,"/jsp/MyErrorPage.jsp",ex);
  } catch (Exception e) {
   e.printStackTrace();
  }
 }
}