Nick Reiner, son of Hollywood director Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, filed a petition on June 8, 2026, in Los Angeles County court seeking access to a $1.5 million trust fund set up by his parents in 1993. He wants the funds to pay for his criminal defense lawyer fees and basic living expenses while incarcerated as he faces two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of his parents in December 2025 at their Brentwood home [1, 2, 3, 4].
The trust was established with terms that Nick should have received half the assets when he turned 30 in September 2023, and the remainder at age 35. Nick claims he never received any funds at 30. The current trustee, lawyer Paul Kanin, has refused to release money citing concerns about Nick's financial competence and whether he can make sound decisions. Nick's attorneys counter that no legal or medical finding has determined he is incompetent, and under California law, adults are presumed competent [1, 2, 4].
Nick's petition argues, "Nick deeply loved his parents and is devastated by their passing. But what happened to his parents is not the core issue in this trust case." He further stated, "Like any defendant charged with a crime, Nick should be presumed innocent and entitled to legally use his own resources to defend himself." [1, 2]
Nick initially hired high-profile criminal defense lawyer Alan Jackson, who withdrew from the case before June 8 due to lack of payment, as the funds were not released. Jackson said, "Once funding is in place, my firm is ready, willing, and able to serve as defense counsel." [1, 2, 3, 4]
Nick's older siblings, Jake and Romy Reiner, initially agreed to help pay legal fees but later withdrew their support [1, 2, 3]. Nick has a history of drug addiction and lived with his parents prior to the incident [1, 2, 3].
Rob and Michele Reiner were found murdered in December 2025 at their Los Angeles home [1, 2, 3]. Paul Kanin began acting as trustee in February 2026 and has maintained his refusal to release the trust funds [1, 2].
Nick is now 32 years old and seeks access to the estimated $1.5 million trust to cover defense costs and necessities while detained [1, 2, 3, 4]. The court will decide whether Nick can draw on the trust despite the trustee’s objections regarding his competence and use of funds.
