Nick Reiner Could Use Parents' $1.5 Million Trust Fund to Pay for Murder Defense as Case Heads to Mediation

Nick Reiner could regain the high-profile attorney who withdrew from his parents' murder case as a dispute over his $1.5 million trust fund heads to mediation, potentially giving him access to hundreds of thousands of dollars set aside by the parents he is accused of killing.

Attorneys for Reiner and the trustee overseeing his money agreed Friday, October 23, 2026, to pursue a settlement over $558,000 that he claims was owed to him in September 2023, more than two years before filmmaker Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Singer Reiner were found stabbed to death in their Los Angeles home. The money could allow him to rehire criminal defense attorney Alan Jackson, who withdrew from the case amid the funding dispute.

Reiner's trust attorney, Anita P. Wu, told Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ruben Garcia that both sides had agreed to mediation on December 16 before retired Judge Mitchell Beckloff. Any settlement would require Garcia's approval.

Jackson initially represented Reiner following his December 2025 arrest but withdrew in January after funding for his defense became an issue. Los Angeles County Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene subsequently took over the case. Reiner has indicated that he wants Jackson to return if he can access the disputed funds.

The money comes from a trust established by Rob and Michele Reiner as part of their estate planning. Each of their three children received a separate account, with Nick entitled to half of his share when he turned 30 in September 2023 and the balance at age 35. His attorneys say the first payment was never collected, leaving him with a claim to money that became payable before the killings.

The fight over Reiner's trust fund began earlier this year when his attorneys petitioned probate court to release the money. They argue that the account was created specifically for his benefit and became irrevocable during his parents' lifetimes, separating it from the larger family estate and any inheritance arising from their deaths.

Trustee Jodi Montgomery has resisted distributing the funds, citing California's slayer statute, which prevents a person who intentionally and unlawfully kills someone from receiving certain benefits from the victim's estate or trust. If Reiner is disqualified, his siblings, Jake and Romy, could become entitled to the remaining assets.

His attorneys argue that the money was already payable to him before the alleged crimes and that he remains presumed innocent as he awaits trial. California Probate Code Section 254, however, allows a probate judge to determine whether a killing was intentional and unlawful under the lower civil standard of proof, even without a criminal conviction.

Lauriann Wright, an attorney representing Montgomery, expressed optimism Friday that the parties could settle the dispute over money Reiner was eligible to receive before his parents' deaths. She cautioned that reaching an agreement over additional funds would be more difficult.

Wright also asked Garcia to authorize up to $300 from the trust for Reiner's jail commissary account, which would cover personal necessities while he remains in custody. The judge deferred a ruling on the request.

The financial proceedings are unfolding as Reiner, 33, awaits trial on two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his parents, who were found stabbed inside their Brentwood home on December 14, 2025. He has pleaded not guilty, and prosecutors have not publicly identified a motive.

A Los Angeles County grand jury indicted Reiner on the murder charges, which include special-circumstance allegations involving multiple murders and lying in wait. Prosecutors announced in September that they would not pursue the death penalty, leaving him facing life imprisonment without parole if convicted.

The parties will attempt to resolve the trust dispute during the December 16 mediation, with a follow-up hearing scheduled for March 17, 2027. Garcia will retain final authority over any settlement, including whether Reiner can receive money to finance his criminal defense.