My ex-girlfriend and I had a child in 98 she left me with my daughter in 12/2000. My daughter has been living with me the last 8 years. I got married in 2005. I take my daughter to visit her mom on weekends and now the mother wants our daughter to live with her. My daughter has gone to the same school for 5 years now and is an honor roll student. My ex is unemployed with another daughter and is a single mom. Can a judge still grant her custody and let her live with her mom? I live in California

The judge will do whatever they see is in the best interest of the child. Meaning that yes, if she goes to court to fight for custody she could get it... however, you stand a better chance at retaining custody because you have a stable home that she has been living at this long at (I'm assuming) thriving in. Do you have legal physical custody of her or was this just an informal arrangement between the two of you? Not that she would win if it was informal but you would have a stronger case if you had actually gone to court eight years ago to get it all formalized.