The Furry, 4-Legged Centerpiece of a Custody Battle in Court

Oliver or Gatsby, depending on who gives his name, is the principal character in a custody case that has landed in State Supreme Court.

Last week, Justice Marylin G. Diamond decided to hold a full trial in the case to determine whether Oliver, who is now known as Gatsby, should be returned to his earlier home or be allowed to stay with a woman identified, as many adoptive parents are, only as Jane Doe.

Although the case might seem trivial in an austere stone courthouse where weighty issues are decided every day, it could be important to the vast system in New York that handles tens of thousands of stray and lost pets, mostly dogs and cats, every year.