Legal Question in Family Law in Texas

It's entirely up to the judge.

However, it's a really bad, bad, bad, horrible idea to know that a petition has been filed and ignore it because you haven't been served. There is so much fraud in alternative service or service by posting/publication that a person can find themselves divorced on very bad terms--sometimes after it's too late to do much about it.

If you are the one who hasn't been served, the best play is to file an answer and make absolutely certain to keep the district clerk's office up to date on your mailing address.

Sometimes there's no way out but the front door!!