Royal Dutch/Shell Group [corporate website] said Tuesday that it will appeal a decision which allows a class action lawsuit for stock fraud to continue against the company. A federal judge ruled Tuesday that the suit, questioning whether Shell's statements on its reserves [JURIST report] purposely misrepresented important facts, adequately showed reason for further investigation into the shareholder plaintiffs' allegations. The US Department of Justice [official website] has also launched a criminal investigation, according to the US District Judge John W. Bissell's Tuesday opinion. This differs from the department's June 29 statement that the criminal investigation was officially ended [JURIST report]. AP has more.