Full Breakdown
Attorneys Seek Court Permission for Nick Reiner to Use $1.5 Million Trust Fund
8/18/2026, 4:23:06 AM
Court Motion to Access Trust
On August 17, attorneys for Nick Reiner filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court asking Judge Ruben Garcia to allow the 32-year-old to draw on the $1.5 million trust his parents created in 1993. The request seeks funds to pay for Reiner’s criminal defense after he pleaded not guilty to two counts of stabbing his parents, director Rob Reiner and producer-photographer Michele Reiner, to death in December. Garcia scheduled a follow-up hearing for October 23 to consider the petition.
Legal Context: California Slayer Statute
California’s “slayer statute” bars a person who intentionally kills another from inheriting from the victim’s estate. A financial representative overseeing the trust told the court that the statute prevents any release of the assets to Nick Reiner. Attorney Anita Wu argued that Reiner should have begun receiving trust payments when he turned 30 and noted that trustees have already withdrawn $200,000 to cover their own legal fees, further depleting the fund.
Key Figures
- Nick Reiner – 32, defendant accused of killing his parents; seeks trust funds for his defense.
- Rob Reiner – Late Hollywood director, known for “All in the Family,” “When Harry Met Sally,” and “The Princess Bride.”
- Michele Reiner – Late producer-photographer, mother of Nick Reiner.
- Alan Jackson – Attorney who originally represented Nick Reiner criminally, now assisting probate lawyers.
- Anita Wu – Attorney representing the probate side of the trust dispute.
- Judge Ruben Garcia – Los Angeles Superior Court judge presiding over the matter.
Official Statements & Responses
Alan Jackson told reporters outside the courthouse that “Nick Reiner is very much entitled to his own money.” He said the defendant wants to hire a private criminal-defense lawyer rather than rely on the court-appointed public defender. Reiner, who has spoken publicly about his substance-abuse struggles, faces up to life imprisonment or the death penalty if prosecutors pursue capital charges.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Nick Reiner is very much entitled to his own money,” — Alan Jackson, attorney
