Contract Statute of Limitations and area

My husband borrowed money from an employer 8 years ago, and paid it back over 6 years ago. When it was paid off, I sent him a copy of our records reflecting what had been paid and when, and showing paid in full; he never responded. We moved last spring, and I think I threw our paperwork away, because it had been so long.
We had a shop in the same complex for 3 years following that, and never had any problems during that time. In July 2009, he called threatening us, because he said we never paid him back. He got so unreasonable I had to call the police and file a harrassment charge against him.
This took place in Fresno County, CA, and in August he filed a lawsuit against us in Santa Cruz County, CA, court, where he lives now. We have not seen the papers, because we have not been served, but found it on a court docket search.
A case management is scheduled for Dec. 6th. Do we have to attend, or can we write a letter to the court if the time limitation has occured on the time to file against us, and notify them we never had dealings in that county, or are there certain papers an attorney would have to file?