A judge in Ottawa has ordered former colonel Russell Williams's wife to disclose the details of a domestic contract that might include the transfer of the convicted murderer's assets over to her.

The lawyer representing CBC News — as well as other media outlets — argued that the contract is of public interest because it could detail a transfer of Williams's military pension to Mary Elizabeth Harriman.

Ontario Superior Court Justice Jennifer McKinnon's order comes in advance of a Thursday hearing, during which lawyers representing Harriman and CBC News will argue whether her divorce proceedings should be sealed or subject to a sweeping publication ban.

For now, the document can only be seen by lawyers representing CBC News and other media outlets.

Williams was sentenced to life in prison last fall for the first-degree murders in Ontario of 27-year-old Jessica Lloyd, of Belleville and 37-year-old Marie-France Comeau of Brighton.

Williams also pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assaults and 82 break-ins. He is serving a life sentence at Kingston Penitentiary.

Williams was stripped of his rank, military decorations and honours after his sentencing, but retained his military pension, which is reportedly worth $60,000 a year.

The federal government has moved to strip old-age income supplements from hundreds of federal prisoners, but the move does not impact Williams's pension, because the former colonel paid into the program.