OP -
You don't need to do a search for the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure. Here's a link. Start reading:
http://phonl.com/fl_law/rules/frcp/
Now reasonble minds can differ on a subject. It has happened here. flatpanel is right and so am I. I have no vested interest in the course of action that you follow, so I'll explain a few more things and you can choose your options.
What turns out to be good service of process gets described in many strange ways in this forum. We both start with the assumption that you have been sued:
"Apparently, you have been sued in a civil action by Asset."
But flatpanel correctly considers the possibility that service was defective and, if so, encourages you to consider a Motion to Quash.
Assuming that you understand and know how to do that, I consider it a way to buy some time (at the price of work, a filing fee and a court appearance) but otherwise useless. If I were the plaintiff's atorney and thought that there was even a remote possibility that service was defective, I would file my opposition, go to the hearing on the motion and, if th Court found defect, immediately have you re-served while standing in the courtroom - problem solved.
A motion for time enlargement is discretionary with the Court and requires a finding of good cause. If you understand what that means, want the additional time, can do the work and make the court appearance, do it. For a defendant who is presently pro se, it's likely that the Court would allow additional time. How will you use it? To prepare to defend the case yourself or to find an attorney? My thought is that, if your plan is to roll procedural beer kegs in front of the plaintiff, kegs that it will eventually step over, go get the attorney now. Let him/her do the work. You will be in over your head at each step of the proceedings.
And about those procedural beer kegs - understand that, when motions are opposed, the opposition normally requests the award of fees and expenses, if it prevails. If you're doing this yourself, you want to be sure that you are knowledgable and that your motions are viable, or it could be costing you just to protract the inevitable.
As to the defenses that you include in your answer, you can use those suggested by flatpanel and a dozen more. You can simply deny the allegations of the Complaint or you can also simply allege that the Complaint "fails to state a cause of action". The thing about defenses is that they are largely window dressing unless you can prove one or more and use that proof to dispose of the case or win at trial. At this point, flatpanel necessarily assumes that you can do this and, (with due respect) I assume that you cannot design discovery that will help you, without the assistance of an attorney. If you're going to get an attorney, my thinking is to skip the procedural bow and curtsey and do it now.
If you stopped using cards in 2002, the debt isn't time-barred. If you signed a credit card application, there's privity of contract and Asset will be able to prove a valid assignment or they wouldn't sue in the first place. They're too big to be that stupid.
"You will need to carefully examine the theories of recovery stated in the complaint, such as breach of contract, open account, account stated, to add additional legal theory specific defenses to your answer.
You will need to examine the declared evidence exhibits in the complaint and the "probative value" of them as to your liability for the plaintiff's claim."
If you understand exactly what that means, you don't need an attorney. If you don't understand, you do.
So here are the options:
flatpanel's advice assumes that you are going to defend this action, possibly through trial. If you win, you win. If you lose, you have a judgment for $9K plus costs and your attorney's fees, if you get an attorney.
My advice suggests that you protect your rear end as quickly and inexpensively as possible and then figure out if this is really a debt that you owe. If it's a debt that you owe, get to work on trying to get it paid without wasting money on litigation you'll lose.
The third, and probably best option is to pay to consult with a local attorney for an hour and get his/her advice on what to do with what you have in hand.