Nick Reiner has asked a court to release funds from a $1.6 million trust to pay for his legal defense as he awaits trial for murder.
Attorneys representing the son of late filmmaker Rob Reiner argue that a substantial portion of the account consists of money left to him by his grandfather, Hollywood comedy legend Carl Reiner, rather than his parents.
For almost a year, Nick has been held at Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles following accusations he murdered his father, director Rob Reiner, and mother, photographer-producer Michele Singer Reiner. He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and murder by means of lying in wait.
The trustee managing the account has withheld the funds under California's Slayer Statute, which prevents individuals who unlawfully kill someone from financially benefiting from their death. However, in court documents obtained by The Daily Mail, Nick's attorneys contend the statute does not apply to pre-existing property or assets inherited from his grandfather.
"The Slayer Statute prevents a killer from receiving a benefit created by the killing. It takes away what a person receives because someone died; it does not divest a person of his pre-existing property," lawyers wrote in the court filing.
The filing explains that Carl Reiner left money to Nick in his estate plan, with similar distributions to his other grandchildren. This includes at least $325,017.49 transferred into the trust account at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank on December 24, 2024, alongside potential additional distributions that trustee counsel is currently investigating.
"Either way, the Slayer Statute has no application to that money. Nick’s grandfather died on June 29, 2020. Nick is not accused of causing his death," the attorneys wrote. "Money that was left to Nick by his grandfather is not money received by Nick from or through his parents. To the extent the funds Nick received from his grandfather are Nick’s personal assets, they remain Nick’s and should be segregated and released from this Trust."
They added: "Even if they were properly held by the Trust, the Slayer Statute does not supply a basis for withholding them, and they should be distributed in accordance with Paragraphs 4.4 and 4.5 of the Trust."
Commissary Access and Family Divide
In the court documents, Nick's attorneys also highlighted that their client is unable to use his fortune to buy basic necessities while behind bars. "In the meantime, Nick still has not been able to access even $5 from his trust to buy basic subsistence items from the jail commissary," they wrote.
The legal complaint comes amid a bitter family divide over the fortune Rob and Michele established for their son when he was an infant. Sources previously told The Daily Mail that Nick's siblings Jake Reiner, 34, and Romy Reiner, 28, are united in refusing to help him turn his inheritance into a war chest to fight charges that he brutally murdered their parents.
"It's not an issue of love or not, it's an issue of how much do you allow someone to take from you," a longtime Reiner family friend said. "Knowing that he's using their inheritance for his defense is just too much. They won't allow that if they can help it."
Family friends said Jake and Romy felt the need to set strict boundaries as they grieve. "I wouldn't say [they] abandoned him for good," one friend said. "I'd say that they are setting boundaries that are appropriate for their healing, and Nick is not a part of their healing." Another source noted the siblings were "not budging" over the trust dispute.
Their older half-sister Tracy Reiner, 61, who is Rob Reiner's adopted daughter from his marriage to actress and director Penny Marshall, was also said to support keeping Nick from accessing the inheritance.
However, Nick's lawyers insist the dispute is fundamentally about his right to use money that belongs to him while he remains presumed innocent. "What the Successor Trustee asks this Court to do is enter an order freezing a presumed-innocent man's own untainted money until after the trial at which his liberty will be decided," they wrote.
They also stated that his siblings have made no formal claim over the trust money. "They were served with Nick’s Petition months ago and did not object, and they have never sought a determination under the Slayer Statute. To the contrary, in April 2026 they consented in writing to the disbursement of a substantial portion of Nick’s Trust to pay legal fees incurred by his criminal-defense lawyers," the filing notes.
Trust Terms and Trustee Battles
The Nick Reiner Children's Trust was created by Rob and Michele Reiner in 1993, naming Nick as its sole beneficiary. His attorneys state the trust holds approximately $1.6 million and argue that at least $558,000 became due and payable to him when he turned 30 on September 14, 2023, more than two years before his parents were killed.
"Nick turned 30 on September 14, 2023," his attorneys wrote. "By the Successor Trustee's own calculation, at least $558,000 became due and payable to him that day. His parents were alive. No one had accused him of anything."
Nick's legal team launched an attack on the costs of fighting his petition, claiming attorneys representing the trustees have racked up more than $250,000 in legal fees paid directly from the trust. "Third, it is Nick who is paying for the fight to keep his money from him," the attorneys complained, warning: "Every month this continues, there is less left, for Nick, and for anyone who might ever claim it."
The filings allege that former trustee Paul R. Kanin agreed in April 2026 to deposit money into Nick's jail commissary account after receiving instructions on April 21, but failed to follow through. "No deposit was ever made," they claimed. "Kanin never withdrew the commitment; it was simply never honored."
Kanin, who resigned in May after serving approximately 15 weeks, denied breaching his fiduciary duties and maintained he acted prudently. Current successor trustee Jodi Pais Montgomery has opposed releasing the funds while the murder prosecution is unresolved, arguing the trust should be preserved until it is clear whether the Slayer Statute applies.
Criminal Prosecution and Legal Representation
The criminal prosecution involves the December 14, 2025 deaths of Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Singer Reiner, 70, at their home in Brentwood, California. Prosecutors allege the couple were stabbed to death. Nick was indicted in July with special circumstances including lying in wait and an allegation that he used a knife.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced last week that prosecutors will not seek the death penalty. Nick still faces life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted.
High-powered attorney Alan Jackson initially represented Nick following his arrest but withdrew from the criminal case in January 2026, citing circumstances beyond control. Nick is currently represented by a public defender at taxpayer expense, but wants to rehire Jackson if he gains access to his trust.
"The harm here is severe and ongoing," his attorneys wrote. "Nick has been deprived of the use of his own money and has been unable to pay for criminal defense counsel and experts since January 2026, prejudicing his ability to defend against double homicide charges with special circumstances." Jackson has indicated he could return if funding is resolved, stating previously: "He's made a determination that he wants to be able to use his funds that are in his trust account to decide on his criminal counsel."
