There will be no publication ban on the first murder trial of Robert Pickton, even though the accused serial killer could face a second trial later.

Justice James Williams has ruled that Pickton's trial in New Westminster on six charges of first-degree murder, slated to begin in January, will be held in open court.

Pickton faces a total of 26 charges in the deaths of women, many of whom were sex-trade workers from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

But the first trial will deal with only six counts.

Lawyers for news organizations argued that a publication ban on one of Canada's most notorious murder trials would be akin to keeping it "secret."

Defence lawyer Peter Ritchie told the court he had no intention of seeking a ban on publication of evidence heard in the trial; the Crown said it would leave the matter up to the court.