A conference in the case in Manhattan federal court was postponed to Wednesday from Monday, the order said.
No reason was given for the indefinite delay of the trial in the order, signed by U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood. Jury selection had been previously scheduled for next week.
Shell is accused of human rights abuses, including violations connected with the 1995 hangings of prominent activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other protesters by Nigeria's then-military government.
Shell has denied allegations of involvement.
The case was brought by relatives of Saro-Wiwa and others under a 1789 U.S. statute, the Alien Tort Claims Act, allowing noncitizens to file cases in U.S. courts for human rights abuses occurring overseas.
The case is Wiwa, et al v Anderson, et al 01-01909 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (Manhattan).
Source: FOCUS Information Agency
