A week into the statewide rollout of virtual court operations for essential and emergency proceedings, the model is being expanded to cover a broad range of criminal and civil matters.

Chief Judge Janet DiFiore and Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence Marks jointly announced Monday that virtual court will be used for pending tort, asbestos, commercial, matrimonial, trusts and estates, felony, family and other cases making up the bulk of trial court caseloads. An existing ban on new filings for “nonessential” matters will remain in effect.