How to Answer a Summons for Debt Collection in Florida (2024 Guide)

Edited by Hannah Locklear

“I heart debt lawsuits!” — said no one ever.

Getting sued for a debt is terrible. This article will make the process of responding to a debt lawsuit a little bit easier and tell you how to answer a summons for debt collection in Florida.

Below, you'll find helpful topics on how to answer a summons for debt collection in the Sunshine State. This list includes information specific to filing in Florida, like state deadlines and forms.

Not sued yet? Send a Debt Validation Letter to get collectors off your back.

Table of Contents

• Deadlines
• Forms
• Answer the Summons without hiring an attorney
• Follow these steps to respond
• Statute of limitations on debt in Florida
• Florida debt collection laws
• Does the Fair Credit Reporting Act work in Florida?
• If the creditor sells your debt, you may not be obligated to pay
• What if I haven't been sued yet?
• Make a Motion to Compel Arbitration in Florida
• Settle debt in Florida
• Stop wage garnishment in Florida
• File a civil Answer with the Duval clker of courts in Florida
• Find debt relief in Florida
• Apply for unemployment benefits in Florida
• Check the status of your cour case in Florida
• File an Answer in your local Florida court

You have 20 days to respond to a debt lawsuit in Florida

In Florida, the deadline to respond to a debt Summons and Complaint is just 20 days. That's 20 days starting from the day after you are served, including Saturdays and Sundays.

For example, Jenny is being sued in Florida for a credit card debt. She is served the court Summons and Complaint on March 11th, a Friday. That means she has until March 31st, a Thursday, to submit her written response. Jenny files her Answer with the court on March 31, the last day within the deadline, and it is accepted.

Keep in mind that many courts are generous regarding deadlines, specifically when the defendant (or the person being sued) is not represented by an attorney. So, if you are responding pro se (without a lawyer), the court might give you a little extra leeway to respond.

If you already responded to the lawsuit, go here to send an offer to settle the debt outside of court.

Use this sample Answer to respond to the Complaint in Florida

If you aren't sure how to write an Answer, SoloSuit can help. SoloSuit's Answer form makes it easy to draft and file a response to your Florida debt lawsuit. You can fill out the form in a matter of minutes by answering a few simple questions on SoloSuit's site. SoloSuit's Answer is created by professional attorneys and has protected consumers from losing over $100 million in predatory debt lawsuits.

Florida also has many resources for defendants who are representing themselves in a credit card debt lawsuit. Most courts even have forms you can fill out to respond to the suit.

Here's an example of one of SoloSuit's Answer forms.

Answer the Summons without hiring an attorney

If you've been sued for debt, especially credit card debt, you should respond to the court Summons and Complaint immediately. You might think you need to hire an attorney to do so, but you can actually represent yourself and save lots of money and time.

You don't need an attorney to help you draft and file your written Answer. In fact, with resources like SoloSuit, you can draft an Answer in less than 10 minutes. SoloSuit can also file the Answer in the court on your behalf, and for a small fee, have an attorney review your court documents before sending them off.

Finding an attorney can be extremely time-consuming and challenging, and it might end up costing more than the debt you owe. Save yourself the stress and money by representing yourself with SoloSuit's help.

Steps to respond to a debt collection case in Florida

All lawsuits formally start the same way: you get two documents in the mail or via personal delivery. These documents are called the Summons and Complaint. In Florida, you have only 20 days to respond by filing an Answer. You can respond with either an Answer document or a Motion; usually, you'll want to respond with an Answer document.

If you don't respond within the 20 day period, you will automatically lose your case by default judgment.

There are three steps to respond to the Summons and Complaint.

1. Answer each issue listed in the Complaint
2. Assert affirmative defenses
3. File one copy of the Answer document with the court and serve the plaintiff with another copy.

Let's take a look at each step.

1. Answer each issue of the Complaint.

Many people are intimidated by making an Answer document. And that's ok. These instructions keep it simple. Just read the Complaint and then decide how you want to respond to each numbered paragraph. Avoid giving long Answers that over-explain your side of the story. You should respond in one of three ways:

• Admit: Like saying, This is true.
• Deny: Like saying, Prove it.
• Deny due to lack of knowledge: Like saying, I don't know.

Most attorneys recommend making a general denial, where you deny everything in the complaint and force the other side to prove everything. Just choose one of these answers and write it into your Answer. If you choose “disagree” you can explain why you disagree.

2. Assert affirmative defenses.

To assert affirmative defenses, you simply state reasons why the person suing you has no case. This is where you get to give your side of the story. Some of the most common affirmative defenses we see are:

• The account with the debt is not your account
• The contract was already canceled. Therefore you don't owe the creditor anything.
• The statute of limitations has expired. A statute of limitations is a law that sets a deadline on an action. In this case, the statute of limitations sets the deadline at 6 years, so you can't be sued for a debt based on a contract from six years ago.
• The debt has been paid or excused.
• The debt has been partially paid.
• You were a co-signer but were not informed of your rights as a co-signer.

These are a few of the many affirmative defenses, but you should list them in legal jargon. SoloSuit makes it easy to do this. Keep in mind, being unable to pay the debt is not normally a legal defense to the debt.

SoloSuit makes it easy to make the right defense.

3. File the answer with the court and serve the plaintiff.

Filing the Answer can be tricky. Courts have specific requirments for filing (i.e. original signature, certificate of service, etc.), and are notorious for rejecting Answers if they're not met. Here are some helpful hints for filing:

• Print two copies of your Answer
• Mail the original to the court
• Mail the other copy to the plaintiff's attorney.

The address for both should be in the Summons and Complaint you received in the mail. The attorney's address should be on the top left of the first page. The court's address should be in the first two paragraphs.

SoloSuit can file your Answer for you after an attorney reviews your documents.

Show up to the hearing

Sometimes the court will schedule a hearing after you respond to the lawsuit. Frequently, cases get dismissed just by filing an Answer, but sometimes a hearing is necessary. If you don't show up for the hearing, you'll lose the case.

Settle your debt outside of court before the hearing.

You should investigate before you pay a collection agency

It is a common practice for debt collection agencies to purchase debts from credit card companies. If a debt collection agency has contacted you about a debt you owe, you should do some investigating before sending them any money.

Before making any payments to a collection agency, you should check the statute of limitations on the debt. The staute of limitations is the time period in which a creditor or collection agency can file a lawsuit to recover the debt, and it varies depending on which state you live in.

If you make a payment on a debt that is past the statute of limitations, the clock is restarted, and the collection agency will have the legal right to take you to court of the debt again. For this reason, you should make sure your debt is valid before making any sort of payments on it.

The Florida statute of limitations on debt can protect you

The statute of limitations on mosts debt, including credit card debt, is five years in Florida. This means that creditors and debt collectors only have five years to sue you over a debt, typically starting from the time you made your last payment on an account.

Note that they can still contact you in an attempt to recover the debt, and they may even sue you. It's up to you use the expired statute of limitations as an affirmative defense in your case. In other words, the judge and jury are not going to research the history of your debt for you. If the debt is past the statute of limitations, it's yyour responsibility to bring it up in court.

Also, keep in mind that processing any payment for a time-barred debt will restart the debt's Statute of Limitations. It is therefore critical to check your debt's Statute of Limitations before initiating any repayment programs.

The table below further outlines the statute of limitations on different types of debt in Florida:

Statute of Limitations on Debt in Florida

Debt Type	Deadline in Years
Credit Card	5 years
Medical	5 years
Student Loan	5 years
Auto Loan	5 years
Mortgage	5 years
Personal Loan	5 years
Judgment	20 years
Fla. Stat. § 95.11(2)

SoloSuit can help you use the statute of limitations as a defense in your debt case.

How long does a judgment last in Florida?

As you can see from the table above, the statute of limitations on a judgment in Florida is 20 years. That’s technically true, but how long does a judgment last in Florida? The laws around judgments are more nuanced than that.

In some cases, your creditor can get what’s called a “judgment lien” on your property (like your house or your car). A judgment works like a secured loan — as long as you stay current on your payment obligations to the creditor, you get to keep your house or car. But if you fall behind, the creditor can take your house or car and sell it to pay off the debt.

A judgment lien is valid for 10 years. However, your creditor has the option to renew the lien for an additional 10 years if the debt remains unpaid. Similarly, a judgment is enforceable for 20 years, but the creditor may renew it multiple times.

Fortunately for consumers, judgments do not renew automatically. Once the 20 years is up, the creditor must file with the court to get a new 20-year judgment. As long as the court still supports the creditor’s right to collect, it will restart the 20-year statute of limitations on the judgment.

Florida debt collection laws help consumers like you

The statute of limitations on debt isn't the only debt collection law that protects consumers from unfair treatment in Florida.

You may already know that the Federal Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) protects your rights as a consumer. Florida debt collection laws extend beyond the protections given by the FDCPA. Florida law puts these additional constraints on debt collectors:

• They should not impersonate law enforcement professionals.
• They should not send documents in the mail with embarrassing words on the outside.
• They should not threaten you with illegitimate debt.
• They should not use documents designed to look like legal documents (like a fake lawsuit Summons).
• They should not contact other people (except your attorney) about your debt.
• They should not continue to communicate with you about a debt if they know you have an attorney.

It’s also important to understand the statutes of limitations on debts in Florida. In Florida, the statute of limitations on debt is five years. This means that a creditor or collector only has five years to file a lawsuit against you for a debt. The countdown starts from the last transaction you make on an account.

Often, if a debt collector sees that you’re nearing the statute of limitations on an account, they will try to give themselves more time to sue you by convincing you to make a “good faith” payment. That restarts the clock on the statute of limitations, meaning the collector can now come after you for the debt for another five years.

Before you let a creditor convince you to make a payment on an account that you haven’t paid for quite some time, make sure you find out the last payment you made and check it against the statute of limitations.

However, there is an exception to that five-year statute of limitations. If you have a judgment against you, the creditor can continue to garnish your wages or otherwise pursue you for the debt for 20 years.

Florida debt settlement laws

Settling your debt can be a great way to wipe the slate clean and move toward a better financial future. However, different states have slightly different debt settlement laws when it comes to settling debt. Florida is bound by the FDCPA, but it also has a state law, the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act (FCCPA), that gives you additional protections.

Before you try to settle a debt, you should make sure the debt collector is licensed to operate in Florida. Some states don’t require collectors to be registered, but Florida does.

If a collector comes after you and you live in Florida, the first thing you should do is ask for their licensing number. If they don’t have one, there’s a good chance they have no legal authority to collect on the debt.

You also should know that while the FDCPA prohibits debt collectors from using unfair, intimidating, or deceptive tactics to try to collect a debt, the FCCPA also prohibits original creditors from using these tactics.

If a collector or original creditor violates your rights, you should report them to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) or the Florida Office of Financial Regulations. In some cases, you might actually be able to take legal action against the collector and recover damages, so report any suspected FCCPA or FDCPA violations before you make a settlement offer!

Does the Fair Credit Reporting Act work in Florida?

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law, meaning it applies in every state. The FCRA was passed in 1970 to regulate the way your credit information is collected, stored, and used. It’s a lengthy document, but here are some of the most important protections it gives you:

• The right to have negative information removed (negative marks come off in seven years and bankruptcy in 10)
• The right to receive a free annual copy of your report
• The right to have inaccurate information removed
• The right to ask for collection agencies to validate debts they say you owe
• The right to seek damages if an entity violates the FCRA
• The right to be informed if your credit report is used against you

So, yes, the Fair Credit Reporting Act works in Florida, and fortunately, Florida also has additional protections for consumers. These are some of the additional credit protections you have if you’re a Florida resident:

• If an insurance company uses your credit report in a decision, you must be informed.
• If your report adversely impacted your application, the insurer must tell you how.
• No entity can request your report solely because of your income, national origin, gender, age, marital status, religion, race, or color.
• An employer must have your written consent to check your credit.
• You can’t be fired or denied employment only because of your credit.
• If negative items on your report influence an employer’s decision, you must be given a chance to explain them.

The FCRA restricts who can access your credit report. However, Florida adds an extra layer of protection: you can put a “security freeze” on your credit file. If you do this, only you can access the information in it, and if any person or company wants to view it, they must get your consent first.

If the creditor sells your debt, you may not be obligated to pay

Under the Federal Debt Collection Practices Act (FDPCA), debt collection agencies must validate a debt in writing within 5 days of contacting you about it. If they never validate the debt, you should send them a Debt Validation Letter before sending them any money. Many collection agencies give up after receiving such a letter, because it would cost them more time and resources to verify the debt.

If the collection agency cannot validate the debt, they must cease contact with you. In this case, you are not obligated to pay anything. Check out the following guide if you have ever asked yourself, "Should you never pay a debt collection agency?" for more information on paying off your debt to a collections agency.

What if I haven't been sued yet?

If you've only received a collections notice, but not a lawsuit, the best way to respond is with a Debt Validation Letter. When a debt collector contacts you in any way, whether it's by phone or mail, you can respond with a Debt Validaiton Letter. This letter notifies the collector that you dispute the debt and requires they provide proof you owe the debt. They can't call you or continue collecting until they provide validation of the debt.

Learn more about the Debt Validation Letter here or by watching this video:

This flowchart shows how you can use a Debt Validation Letter to win.

Make a Motion to Compel Arbitration in Florida

If you’ve been sued by a debt collector but don’t want to go to court, the good news is that you have other options. One of these options is to make a Motion to Compel Arbitration in Florida. This is essentially a request to settle the debt via arbitration instead of through a lawsuit.

Many people have misconceptions about arbitration — more specifically, they confuse it with mediation. Arbitration is a process where you and the creditor work out an agreement out of court.

The meeting includes an arbitrator, who listens to both sides and then issues a legally binding ruling. Mediation is somewhat similar, but unlike an arbitrator, a mediator may not issue a legally binding ruling.

Not all kinds of debt can be resolved via arbitration. You must have a pre-existing contract with the creditor that includes a provision for arbitration. If arbitration is allowed by your contract and you think it’s a better way to resolve your debt, your next step should be to file a Motion to Compel Arbitration. The process starts with a petition that must include the following:

• The actual text of the arbitration clause of your contract
• A request for the other party to be compelled to follow that clause
• The identities of the parties in the lawsuit (you and the creditor)
• A Notice of Hearing
• The court that has jurisdiction over the lawsuit
• Your signature

Filing a Motion to Compel Arbitration can be challenging, especially if you don’t have legal experience. Filing with SoloSuit keeps it simple.

Force your lawsuit out of court when you file a Motion to Compel Arbitration.

Settle debt in Florida

If your original debt agreement doesn’t have an arbitration clause (or if you’d just rather not go through arbitration), you have another option for resolving your debt: settlement. This is where you offer to pay an amount less than the total debt owed. If the creditor accepts, you pay them, and they stop all collection efforts (including any lawsuits).

You don’t have to wait for a creditor to sue you to settle a debt in Florida. However, if a creditor does sue you, you’ll lose your chance to settle if you don’t act fast! In Florida, once you’ve been served a Complaint and a Summons (the two documents you receive when you’re being sued), you have 20 days to respond with an Answer letter.

If you don’t respond, the court will likely enter a default judgment against you. This is something you want to avoid. When you have a judgment against you, your creditor is then given more legal tools to collect the debt.

Because the court has ordered you to pay it, the debt can be taken from your bank account or garnished from your wages. In some cases, the collector might even be able to seize your property and sell it to pay off what you owe.

When you get sued for a debt, the first thing you should do is file an Answer. This continues the lawsuit, keeping your options open. After you file your Answer, you can then open settlement negotiations by sending an offer to the creditor.

Take the guesswork out of negotiating a settlement with SoloSettle from SoloSuit.

Regardless of when you settle your debt, there are a couple of things to keep in mind to protect yourself. One is to get the settlement agreement in writing before you send any money to the creditor.

The other is to make sure the agreement states that the creditor will not pursue further collection actions against you — that as soon as you pay the agreed-upon settlement amount, your obligation to the creditor ends.

For more help on negotiating with debt collectors and creditors, watch the following interview with an attorney who has years of experience negotiating debt settlement.

Stop wage garnishment in Florida

Unfortunately, many people panic when they’re hounded by debt collectors. If you’re in this situation, you might be tempted to ignore debt lawsuits. However, this can lead to having a judgment against you. A court judgment authorizes a creditor to garnish your wages. They can’t take all of your paycheck, but a certain amount can be deducted and paid toward your debt.

For many people, wage garnishment adds a huge amount of stress to an already stressful financial situation. Florida offers more protections from wage garnishment than some states do. These are some of the kinds of income that might be exempt from garnishment in Florida:

• Social Security benefits
• Supplemental Security Income benefits
• Unemployment compensation
• Public assistance/welfare
• Veterans’ benefits
• Retirement benefits or pension money
• Annuity proceeds
• Workers’ compensation benefits
• Life insurance benefits

If you have any of the income types listed above and that income is being garnished, it’s worth filing a claim of exemption form.

File a civil Answer with the Duval Clerk of Courts in Florida

When you get sued for a debt, you will receive two documents: a Summons and a Complaint. The Complaint outlines all the reasons for the lawsuit, and the Summons is the document that says you’re being sued.

If you’ve been sued in Duval County, you must file an Answer with the Duval Clerk of Court. Your Answer is a document where you respond to the lawsuit. You should file it as soon as possible. In Florida, you have 20 days to respond to a debt collection suit after you’ve received the Summons.

In your Answer letter, you must respond to the allegations made in the complaint. You don’t have to provide reasons why, but you must confirm or deny each one. In Florida, you have the option to raise affirmative defenses in your Answer. These are reasons you should win the case. Here are some examples:

• The debt is a result of identity theft.
• The statute of limitations for the debt has passed.
• The lawsuit wasn’t filed where the contract was signed or where you live.
• You’re being sued for the wrong amount of money.
• You already paid the debt.
• The debt isn’t yours.
• The debt was already discharged in bankruptcy.

When possible, you should send documentation in support of your affirmative defenses.

You should format the Answer this way:

• In the form’s caption, include the plaintiff’s name and your name.
• Below that, add the case number, division, and name of the court.
• Then, make numbered paragraphs corresponding to the allegations in the complaint.
• Answer each claim (an example is “Defendant denies the allegation”).
• Then, include your affirmative defenses.
• At the bottom, under “certificate of service,” state how you’ll send a copy to the plaintiff.

Then, you send a copy of the Answer to the plaintiff, keep a copy for yourself, and file the original with the Clerk of Courts. Filing your Answer with the Duval Clerk of Courts is simple with SoloSuit. We’ll help you format the document and make sure it gets where it needs to go.

Find debt relief in Florida

Overcoming debt can be a challenge, especially in an economy where wages are stagnating and living expenses seem to be going up every day. It’s easy to feel like debt is insurmountable, but there are more solutions for debt relief in Florida than you might realize.

• Make a debt repayment plan: If you have multiple different debts, one of the most commonly recommended ways to pay it off is the “snowball” method. You start by paying off your smallest debts, and you can then allocate the minimum payments you were making on the smaller debts to the larger debts. When you have a repayment plan, it makes it easier to track your progress and celebrate milestones along the way.


• Take out a debt consolidation loan: These loans can take a lot of the guesswork out of repaying debt. If you have at least a decent credit score, you may qualify for a debt consolidation loan. These loans let you combine multiple debts into a single monthly payment, usually with a lower interest rate. Of course, if you’re approved, always make sure your loan has a lower interest rate than your debt. Otherwise, it defeats the purpose!


• See if you qualify for financial aid: If you’re struggling with both debt and a low income, there are some programs in Florida that can help. You might qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or both. You also might qualify for rental assistance and other programs from the Office on Homelessness.


• Settle your debt: Depending on your creditors and the kind of debt you owe, settling might not always be possible. However, in many cases, it’s worth trying to settle your debt. This is where you offer to give your creditor a one-time payment that’s less than the total amount you owe. You save money, and in many cases, the creditor does, too. Trying to collect a debt can be costly, especially when a creditor resorts to filing lawsuits.


• Filing for bankruptcy: This isn’t an option for everyone, but if you think there’s no hope of being able to repay your debts, bankruptcy may be an option. If you have little income and few assets, you might qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which eliminates most debts. If you have greater income or more assets, Chapter 13 bankruptcy may be more appropriate. This type eliminates some debt but not all.

Make sure you stay away from programs that advertise “no-cost debt relief.” These programs are scams designed to prey on people in your situation.

Apply for unemployment benefits in Florida

Losing your job can put you under serious financial stress, especially if you don’t have significant assets, are in debt, or are trying to support a family. If you have lost your job or been partially laid off, unemployment benefits may be able to help.

In Florida, unemployment benefits are called the Florida Reemployment Assistance (Insurance) Program. If you qualify, you can receive assistance for up to 12 weeks. Not everyone is eligible. If you want to apply, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be able to work.
• Have worked in Florida for at least the past 12 months.
• Earn a certain minimum wage during the last 12 months (the “base period”).
• Be currently unemployed, either partially or fully.
• Be actively looking for work while receiving benefits.

You also will need to supply documentation of your employment for the past 18 months. The documentation will usually need to include the reason for the job loss, your employer’s name, how much you earned, the dates you worked for each employer, and each employer’s Federal Employer ID Number (FEIN) or the employer details from your pay stub.

Check the status of your court case in Florida

Debt collection lawsuits come with their fair share of stressors. One of those stressors is keeping up with your case’s progress. Court cases almost always involve multiple filings, court appearances, and other important dates.

You can represent yourself in a debt collection lawsuit in Florida, but doing that successfully means keeping up with the status of your case. And to make sure you can check the status of your Florida court case, you need to know your court case’s number.

If you’ve lost track of your case number, there’s no need to worry — there are multiple ways to recover it. The easiest way is to visit the online portal for the Florida court system. You can then run a search for your attorney’s name, the name of the plaintiff (or their attorney), the date the case was first filed, or the specific court it was filed in.

If that doesn’t work, visit the Florida court directory to find your court’s location. From there, you can find the contact information for the court in your jurisdiction. You can call the clerk or visit the court in person to get your case number. Once you have it, you should be able to track your case’s progress online.

If you prefer, you can also request your court records by mail or visit the court in person to ask the clerk to make copies.

File an Answer in your local Florida court

Remember, you have 20 days to respond to Florida summons for debt collection. Find your local court below to get started with the process of filing your Answer.

• In the County Court of the Seventh Judicial Circuit In and for St. Johns County
• In the Circuit Court of the Seventh Judicial Circuit In and for St. Johns County
• In the County Court in and for Pasco County, Florida West Side Civil Division
• In the Circuit Court of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit In and for Desoto County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Seventh Judicial Circuit In and for Putnam County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Eighth Judicial Circuit In and for Union County, Florida
• In the Hialeah District Court In and for Miami Dade County, Florida
• In the County Court in and for Duval County, Florida
• In the County Court in and for Wakulla County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Seventh Judicial Circuit In and for Flagler County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court for the 6 Th Judicial Circuit In and for Pasco County, Florida West Side
• In the County Court of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Bay County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court for the 6 Th Judicial Circuit In and for Pasco County, Florida East Side
• In the Circuit Court in and for Okaloosa County, Florida Crestview Division
• In the County Court for the 1 St Judicial Circuit In and for Okaloosa County, Florida Fort Walton Division
• In the County Court for the 1 St Judicial Circuit In and for Okaloosa County, Florida Crestview Division
• In the County Court of the Fifth Judicial Circuitin and for Sumter County, Florida
• In the County Court in and for Hillsborough County, Florida Civil Division
• In the Circuit Court of the Seventh Judicial Circuit In and for Putnam County, Florida
• In the County Court in and for Walton County, Florida Santa Rosa Beach Division
• In the Circuit Court of the Fifth Judicial Circuit In and for Citrus County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Fifth Judicial Circuit In and for Hernando County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Fifth Judicial Circuit In and for Lake County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Fifth Judicial Circuit In and for Marion County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit In and for Pinellas County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Eighth Judicial Circuit In and for Levy County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Eighth Judicial Circuit In and for Baker County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Eighth Judicial Circuit In and for Bradford County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Eighth Judicial Circuit In and for Gilchrist County, Florida
• In the Coral Gables District Court In and for Miami Dade County, Florida
• In the County Court in and for Miami Dade County, Florida
• Joseph Caleb Center Court
• In the County Court of the Twelfth Circuit In and for Sarasota County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Tenth Judicial Circuit In and for Highlands County, Florida
• In the County Court of the 14 Th Judicial Circuit in and for Holmes County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Jackson County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Washington County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Monroe County, Florida Marathon Division
• In the County Court of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Martin County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Saint Lucie, Florida
• In the County Court of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Indian River County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Okeechobee County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit In and for Lee County, Florida
• In the Circuit County Court in and for Volusia County, Florida Daytona Beach Division
• In the County Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Palm Beach County, Florida South Courthouse
• In the County Court in and for Palm Beach County, Florida
• In the County Court in and for Pasco County, Florida East Side Civil Division
• In the County Court of the Eighth Judicial Circuit In and for Alachua County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Eighth Judicial Circuit In and for Baker County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Eighth Judicial Circuit In and for Bradford County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Eighth Judicial Circuit In and for Gilchrist County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Eighth Judicial Circuit In and for Levy County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Eighth Judicial Circuit In and for Union County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Fifth Judicial Circuit In and for Marion County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Monroe County, Florida Key West Division
• In the County Court of the Tenth Judicial Circuit In and for Hardee County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Tenth Judicial Circuit In and for Hardee County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Tenth Judicial Circuit In and for Highlands County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Tenth Judicial Circuit In and for Polk County, Florida Bartow Division
• In the Miami Beach District Court In and for Miami Dade County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit In and for Manatee County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Hillsborough County, Florida Civil Division
• In the County Court of the Tenth Judicial Circuit In and for Polk County, Florida Northeast Division
• In the Circuit County Court in and for Volusia County, Florida Deland Division
• In the Circuit Court in and for Escambia County, Florida
• In the County Court in and for Santa Rosa County, Florida
• In the County Court in and for Walton County, Florida Defuniak Springs Division
• In the Circuit Court in and for Walton County, Florida Defuniak Springs Division
• In the Circuit Court in and for Walton County, Florida Santa Rosa Beach Division
• In the Circuit Court in and for Okaloosa County, Florida Fort Walton Division
• In the County Court of the Third Judicial Circuit In and for Hamilton County, Florida
• In the County County Court in and for Volusia County, Florida Deland Division
• In the County Court of the Third Judicial Circuit In and for Lafayette County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Third Judicial Circuit In and for Madison County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Third Judicial Circuit In and for Suwanee County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Third Judicial Circuit In and for Taylor County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court in and for Nassau County, Florida Fernandina Beach Division
• In the Circuit Court in and for Nassau County, Florida Yulee Division
• In the County Court of the Fourth Judicial Circuit In and for Clay County, Florida
• In the County Court in and for Brevard County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit In and for Lee County, Florida
• In the County Court of the 17 Th Judicial Circuit In and for Broward County, Florida Hollywood Division
• In the Circuit Court for the Twelfth Judicial Circuit In and for Sarasota County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Second Judicial Circuit In and for Leon County, Florida
• In the County Court for the 5 Th Judicial Circuit In and for Hernando County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Brevard County, Florida
• In the County Court of the First Judicial Circuit In and for Escambia County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Calhoun County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Calhoun County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit In and for Miami Dade County, Florida
• In the County Court of the 17 Th Judicial Circuit In and for Broward County, Florida Deerfield Beach Division
• In the County Court of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Gulf County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of Orange County, Florida Ninth Judicial Circuit Court
• In the Circuit Court of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Gulf County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Jackson County, Florida
• In the County Court of the 17 Th Judicial Circuit In and for Broward County, Florida Fort Lauderdale Division
• In the Circuit Court of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Washington County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Palm Beach County, Florida North Courthouse
• In the County Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Palm Beach County, Florida West Courthouse
• In the Circuit Court of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Martin County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Hillsborough County, Florida Civil Division
• In the County Court in and for Leon County, Florida
• In the County Court of the 15 Th Judicial Circuit In and for Palm Beach County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the 17 Th Judicial Circuit In and for Broward County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the 15 Th Judicial Circuit In and for Palm Beach County, Florida
• In the County County Court in and for Volusia County, Florida Daytona Beach Division
• In the County Court of the Third Judicial Circuit In and for Dixie County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court in and for Gadsden County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Saint Lucie, Florida
• In the County Court in and for Gadsden County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Indian River County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Ninth Judicial Circuit In and for Orange County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Okeechobee County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Ninth Judicial Circuit In and for Osceola County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the 11 Th Judicial Circuit In and for Miami Dade County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit In and for Pinellas County, Florida
• United States District Court For the Middle District of Florida Fort Myers Division
• In the County Court in and for Miami Dade County, Florida
• In the County of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Seminole County, Florida
• In the County Court of the 11 Th Judicial Circuit In and for Miami Dade County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Tenth Judicial Circuit In and for Polk County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit In and for Charlotte County, Florida Civil Division
• In the Circuit Court of the Fifth Judicial Circuit In and for Sumter County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit in and for St. Lucie County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Third Judicial Circuit In and for Madison County, Florida Civil Division
• In the County Court in and for Hendry County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Fifth Judicial Circuit In and for Lake County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Third Judicial Circuitin and for Columbia County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Twelfth Circuit In and for Desoto County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Eighth Judicial Circuit In and for Alachua County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Tenth Judicial Circuit In and for Polk County, Florida Lakeland Division
• In the County Court of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit In and for Collier County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Seventh Judicial Circuit In and for Flagler County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit In and for Monroe County, Florida Division
• In the County Court, Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, Brevard County, Florida
• In the County Court of the Twelfth Circuit In and for Manatee County, Florida
• In the Court of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit in and for Brevard County, Florida
• In the County Court in and for Citrus County State of Florida, Civil Division
• In the County Court of the Seventh Judicial Circuit in and for Saint Johns County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida, in and for Osceola County
• In the County Court in and for Suwannee County, Florida
• In the Circuit Court of the Fourth Judicial Circuit In and for Duval County, Florida

Takeaways on how to Answer a Summons for debt collection in Florida

So, in short, here's the review on how to answer a summons for debt collection in Florida.

• Deadline: 20 days
• Use an Answer form to get started

Follow these steps:

1. Answer each issue in the complaint.
2. Assert your affirmative defenses.
3. File and serve the Answer.

How to Answer a Summons for debt collection in all 50 states

Here's a list of guides on how to respond to a debt collection lawsuit in each state:

The Ultimate 50 State Guide

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont; Vermont (Small Claims court)
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Guides on how to resolve debt with every debt collector

Are you being sued by a debt collector? We’re making guides on how to resolve debt with each one.

• 11 Charter Communications
• AAA Collections
• Aargon Agency Inc
• Absolute Resolutions Investments LLC
• ACEI Collections
• Account Services
• Accredited Collection Services
• Accredited Collection Services
• Advanced Recovery Systems
• AES NCT
• AFNI Collections
• Alco Capital Group LLC
• Aldous and Associates
• Alliance Collections
• Alliance One
• Alliant Capital Management
• Alpha Recovery Corp
• Alltran Financial
• Alltran Health
• Alorica Inc.
• Amcol Clmbia in Court
• American Coradius International
• American Profit Recovery
• American Recovery Service
• Americollect
• AmSher Collection Services
• Apelles LLC
• AR Resources
• ARC Collections
• ARM Solutions
• Arrow Financial Services
• ARS National Services
• ARSC Debt Collectors
• ARS National Services
• ARstrat
• AscensionPoint Recovery Services
• Asset Acceptance LLC
• Asset Recovery Solutions
• Associated Credit Services
• Atlantic Credit and Finance
• Atradius Collections
• Automated Collection Services, Inc.
• Autovest LLC
• Avante USA
• Avantus
• AWA Collections
• Balekian Hayes
• Bay Area Receivables
• BCA Financial Services
• BC Services
• Benuck and Rainey
• Berlin-Wheeler
• Bluebonnet Financial LLC
• Bonneville Collections
• Bull City Financial
• Bureaus Investment Group
• Cach LLC
• Caine and Weiner
• Capio Partners
• Capital Accounts
• Capital Collections
• Capital Management Services
• CardWorks
• Carmel Financial/New Coast Direct
• Cavalry SPV I LLC
• CBCInnovis
• CBCS Collections
• CBE Group
• CBV Collections
• CCB Credit Services
• CCS Collections
• CCS Offices
• Central Mediation Services
• Central Portfolio Control
• Cerastes LLC
• Choice Recovery
• Choice Recovery Inc
• CKS Financial
• CKMS Financial
• Client Services
• CMRE Financial Services
• COAF
• Coast Professional
• Comenity Bank Debt Collection
• Commonwealth Financial
• ConServe Debt Collection
• Consumer Collection Management
• Contract Callers Inc
• Convergent Healthcare Recoveries
• Convergent Outsourcing
• Couch Conville & Blitt
• Covington Credit
• CRDT First
• Credco in Court
• Credence Resource Management
• Credit Bureau Systems
• Credit Control Corporation
• Credit Management Company
• Credit Management LP
• Credit Systems
• Credit Systems
• CSIEZPay
• CTC Debt Collector
• CVCS Debt Collection
• Cypress Financial Recoveries
• D&A Services
• Daniels, Norelli, Cecere & Tavel P.C.
• DCM Services
• Debt Recovery Solutions
• Delanor Kemper & Associates
• Department Stores National Bank
• Direct Recovery Associates
• Discover Collections
• Diversified Adjustment
• Diversified Consultants
• Diversified Recovery Bureau
• DNF Associates, LLC
• Dodeka LLC
• DRS Credit
• Dynamic Collectors
• Eagle Loan
• Eagle Accounts Group, Inc.
• Eastern Account System
• EduCap
• Ellington and Associates Collections
• Encore Capital Group
• Enerson Law
• Enerson Law LLC
• Enhanced Recovery Company
• EOS CCA
• ERC Collections
• ERSolutions
• Estate Information Services
• Equable Ascent Financial
• Everest Business Funding
• Executive Credit Management
• Faber and Brand
• Factual Data
• Falls Collection Service
• FBCS
• FCO Collections and Outsourcing
• FIA Card Services
• fin rec svc (Financial Recovery Services)
• First Federal Credit Credit Control
• First Financial Bank
• First Portfolio Ventures LLC
• First Progress
• FirstPoint Collection Resources
• Firstsource Advantage
• FMA Alliance
• FNB Omaha
• Forster & Garbus
• Franklin Collection Services
• Freedom Plus
• Freshview Solutions
• Frontline Asset
• Frost Arnett
• Fulton Friedman & Gullace LLP
• Galaxy International Purchasing, LLC
• GC Debt Collection
• GC Services
• General Revenue Corporation
• GLA Collections
• Glass Mountain Capital
• Glasser and Glasser
• Global Credit Collection Corp
• Global Trust Management
• GMAC Financing
• Golden 1 Credit Union
• Grant and Weber
• Grant Mercantile Agency
• Gulf Coast Collection Bureau
• Gurstel
• Halsted Financial Services
• Harris and Harris
• Harvard Collection
• Harvest Credit Management
• Helvey and Associates
• Hollis Cobb
• Holloway Moxley
• Hosto Buchan
• Howard Lee Schiff
• H&R Accounts
• HRRG
• Hudson & Keyse LLC?
• Hunter Warfield
• IC System
• Impact Receivables Management
• Innovative Recovery
• Integras Capital Recovery LLC
• Javitch Block
• JHPDE Finance 1 LLC
• JP Receivables Management Partners
• JPMCB card
• Kenneth Eisen and Associates
• KeyBank student loans
• Kinum
• Kirschenbaum, Phillips & Levy P.C.
• KLS Financial Services
• Kramer & Frank
• Lakeside Collection
• Lending Club
• Lincoln and Morgan Kabbage
• Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson LLP
• Lockhart Collection Agency
• LJ Ross Associates
• LTD Collections
• Malcolm S. Gerald and Associates
• Malen & Associates
• Mandarich Law Group
• Mannbracken
• Marcam Associates
• MARS Inc. Collections
• MBA Law
• MCA Management Company
• McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff
• Meade & Associates
• Medicredit
• Mercantile Adjustment Bureau
• Merchants Credit Association
• MGM Collections
• Michael J Adams PC
• Midland Funding LLC
• Mid-South Adjustment
• Monarch Recovery
• Monterey Financial
• Moss Law Firm
• Mountain Land Collections
• MRS Associates
• MRS BPO
• MSW Capital LLC
• Mullooly, Jeffrey, Rooney & Flynn
• Nathan and Nathan PC
• National Collegiate Trust
• National Credit Adjusters
• National Credit Care
• National Credit Systems
• National Enterprise Systems
• National Recovery Agency
• National Recovery Solutions
• Nationstar
• Nationwide Credit
• Nationwide Recovery Services
• Nationwide Recovery Systems
• NCEP LLC
• NCO Financial Systems Incorporated
• North American Recovery
• Northland Group
• Northstar Capital Acquisition
• Northstar Location Services
• NPAS
• NRC Collection Agency
• Oliver Adjustment Company
• Oliphant Financial, LLC
• Oportun
• P&B Capital Group
• PCB Collections Agency
• Palisades Collection LLC
• Pallida LLC
• Paragon Contracting Services
• Paragon Revenue Group
• Payday Loan Debt Collectors
• Pendrick Capital Partners
• Penn Credit
• Perdue Brandon
• Persolve LLC
• Phillips & Cohen Associates
• Phoenix Financial Services
• Pioneer Credit Recovery
• PMAB LLC
• PRA Group, Inc.
• Pressler, Felt & Warshaw LLP
• Prestige Services, Inc.
• Prince Parker and Associates
• ProCollect
• Professional Finance Company
• Progressive Management Systems
• Provest Law
• PYOD LLC
• Quaternary Collection Agency
• RAB Collection Agency
• Rash Curtis and Associates
• Radius Global SOL
• Radius Global Solutions
• Rawlings Company
• Razor Capital
• Real Time Resolutions
• Receivables Performance Management
• Regents and Associates
• Reliant Capital Solutions
• RentGrow
• Resurgent
• Resurgent Capital Services and LVNV Funding
• Revco Solutions
• Revenue Enterprises LLC
• Revenue Group
• RGS Financial, Inc.
• RMP LLC in Court
• RMP Services
• RS Clark and Associates
• RSIEH
• RSIEH
• RTR Financial Services
• Rubin & Rothman
• Salander Enterprises LLC
• Samara Portfolio Management
• SCA Collections
• Scott Parnell and Associates
• Second Round Collections
• Second Round Sub LLC
• Selip & Stylianou LLP
• Sequium Asset Solutions
• Sessoms and Rogers
• Sherman Acquisition
• Sherman Financial Group
• SIMM Associates
• Source Receivables Management
• Southern Management Systems
• Southwest Credit Group
• Spire Recovery Solutions
• SRS Company
• Stark Collection Agency
• State Collection Service
• Stenger and Stenger
• Stillman Law Office
• Summit Account Resolution
• Sunrise Credit Services
• Superlative RM Debt Collector
• Suttell and Hammer
• Synergetic Communication
• Synerprise Consulting
• The Law Office of Michael J Scott
• Trellis Company
• Troy Capital
• TRS Recovery Services
• TrueAccord
• Tulsa Teachers Credit Union
• UCB Collection
• UHG 1, LLC
• Unifin
• Unifin Debt Collector
• Unifund
• Universal Credit Services
• US Bank Collections
• USAA collections
• USCB America
• Valentine and Kebartas
• Valley Servicing
• Vance & Huffman LLC
• Van Ru Credit Corporation
• Velo Law Office
• Velocity Investments
• Viking Client Services
• Wakefield and Associates
• Waypoint Resource Group
• WCTCB
• Weinberg and Associates
• Weltman, Weinberg & Reis
• Westwood Funding
• Williams and Fudge
• Wilshire Consumer Credit
• Wolpoff & Abramson
• Worldwide Asset Purchasing
• www.AutomotiveCredit.com
• Zarzaur & Schwartz
• Zwicker & Associates

Resolve your debt with your creditor

Some creditors, banks, and lenders have an internal collections department. If they come after you for a debt, Solosuit can still help you respond and resolve the debt. Here’s a list of guides on how to resolve debt with different creditors.

• American Express; American Express – Debt Collection
• Bank of America
• Barclay
• Best Buy Credit Card
• Capital One
• Chase
• Credit One Bank
• Old Navy Credit Card
• PayPal Synchrony Card
• Regional Finance
• Retailers National Bank
• Reunion Student Loan Finance Corporation
• SYNCB/PPEXTR
• Synchrony Bank
• Synchrony Walmart Card
• Target National Bank
• Webbank
• Wells Fargo
• Can I Pay My Original Creditor Instead of a Debt Collection Agency?
• Can I Settle a Debt with the Original Creditor?

Settle your medical debt

Having a health challenge is stressful, but dealing medical debt on top of it is overwhelming. Here are some resources on how to manage medical debt.

• Am I Responsible for My Spouse's Medical Debt?
• Do I Need a Lawyer for Medical Bills?
• Do I Need a Lawyer to Fight Medical Bill Debt?
• Does Bankruptcy Clear Medical Debt?
• How Much Do Collection Agencies Pay for Medical Debt?
• How to Find Medical Debt Forgiveness Programs
• Is There a Statute of Limitations on Medical Bills?
• Medical Debt Statute of Limitations by State
• Summoned to Court for Medical Bills — What Do I Do?
• Summoned to Court for Medical Bills? What to Do Next

Guides on arbitration

If the thought of going to court stresses you out, you’re not alone. Many Americans who are sued for credit card debt utilize a Motion to Compel Arbitration to push their case out of court and into arbitration.

Below are some resources on how to use an arbitration clause to your advantage and win a debt lawsuit.

• How Arbitration Works
• How to Find an Arbitration Clause in Your Credit Agreement
• How to Make a Motion to Compel Arbitration
• How to Make a Motion to Compel Arbitration in Florida
• How to Make a Motion to Compel Arbitration Without an Attorney
• How Credit Card Arbitration Works
• Motion to Compel Arbitration in California
• Sample Motion to Compel Arbitration

Stop calls from debt collectors

Do you keep getting calls from an unknown number, only to realize that it’s a debt collector on the other line? If you’ve been called by any of the following numbers, chances are you have collectors coming after you, and we’ll tell you how to stop them.

• 1-800-390-7584
• 800-289-8004
• 800-955-6600
• 8009556600
• 877-366-0169
• 877-591-0747
• 800-278-2420
• 800-604-0064
• 800-846-6406
• 877-317-0948
• 888-899-4332
• 888-912-7925
• 202-367-9070
• 502-267-7522

Federal debt collection laws can protect you

Knowing your rights makes it easier to stand up for your rights. Below, we’ve compiled all our articles on federal debt collection laws that protect you from unfair practices.

• 15 USC 1692 Explained
• Does the Fair Credit Reporting Act Work in Florida?
• FDCPA Violations List
• How to File an FDCPA Complaint Against Your Debt Collector (Ultimate Guide)
• How to Make a Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Demand Letter
• How to Submit a Transunion Dispute
• How to Submit an Equifax Dispute
• How to Submit an Experian Dispute
• What Debt Collectors Cannot Do — FDCPA Explained
• What Does Account Information Disputed by Consumer Meets FCRA Requirements Mean?
• What does “meets FCRA requirements” mean?
• What does FCRA stand for?
• What is the Consumer Credit Protection Act