Nick Reiner’s trust petition is adding a new legal fight to the Los Angeles murder case involving the deaths of his parents, filmmaker Rob Reiner and photographer-producer Michele Singer Reiner.
Civil attorneys for Reiner, 32, asked a Los Angeles County court on Monday, June 8, 2026, to release money from a trust established by his parents, saying he needs the funds to help pay for his criminal defense and basic needs while in custody.
Nick Reiner Trust Petition Centers on Defense Costs
Reiner has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder in the deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner, who were stabbed at their home in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles on Sunday, December 14, 2025.
The trust petition says Rob and Michele Reiner created separate trusts for Nick Reiner and his siblings. According to the filing, Nick Reiner’s trust was established in 1993 and called for him to receive half of the money at age 30 and the remainder at age 35.
His attorneys argue that he did not receive the distribution due when he turned 30 and that trustee Paul R. Kanin has withheld the money without proper legal basis. The petition says the trust has at least $1.5 million in assets, though the exact value has not been disclosed.
Alan Jackson Could Return if Funds Are Released
Reiner was previously represented by attorney Alan Jackson, who later left the criminal case. A declaration included with the trust petition says Jackson’s firm is prepared to resume representation if funds become available.
The filing argues that delayed access to the trust money is hurting Reiner’s ability to prepare for trial. Prosecutors have said Reiner is eligible for the death penalty if convicted as charged, but the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office has not said whether it will seek it.
Reiner is scheduled to return to court for a pretrial hearing in September 2026. The case remains closely watched because of Rob Reiner’s Hollywood career, the family connection at the center of the charges and the separate legal fight over whether trust money can be used for the defendant’s defense.
