Full Breakdown
Nick Reiner’s Trust Fund Dispute Moves to Mediation Amid Murder Trial
By Drooid · · How we work
Trust Fund Dispute and Mediation
Nick Reiner, 32, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the December 14, 2025 stabbing deaths of his parents, director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Singer Reiner. Reiner’s attorneys have asked a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge to allow him to draw on a trust fund his parents created in 1993. The trust, described in filings as holding “at least $1.5 million” (CBS) and as “$1.7 million,” was to pay Nick half of its assets when he turned 30 and the balance at 35. He turned 30 in September 2023 and alleges he is owed roughly $558,000.
On October 23, 2026 the court heard that both Reiner’s counsel and the trustee’s counsel have agreed to a “global mediation” scheduled for December 16. Judge Ruben Garcia set a March 17, 2027 hearing to approve any settlement that emerges. If approved, the settlement could allow Reiner to rehire private defense attorney Alan Jackson or otherwise fund his public-defender representation.
Background & Context
Rob and Michele Reiner established separate irrevocable trusts for each of their three children in 1993, with “unambiguous instructions” that Nick’s portion would vest at age 30 and again at 35. Trustee Jodi Pais Montgomery argues that California’s Slayer Statute bars a person who “feloniously and intentionally kills” a decedent from receiving any inheritance. Reiner’s lawyers counter that the statute applies only after a criminal conviction, and that the money was already his property before the murders.
Alan Jackson, a former Los Angeles deputy district attorney who briefly represented Reiner, withdrew after the trust funds were cut off, prompting Reiner to rely on public defender Kimberly Greene.
Data & Statistics
- Trust assets: at least $1.5 million (CBS) vs. $1.7 million.
- Amount Reiner claims is due: approximately $558,000.
- Trustee’s request for immediate release: $300 for commissary purchases.
- Reiner’s age at time of hearing: 32.
Official Statements & Responses
The petition filed in June 2026 claims the trustees have denied access “without legal justification.”
Trustee attorney Lauriann Wright says the Slayer Statute issues must be resolved before any disbursement, but describes the $300 request as a “quality of life issue.” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced prosecutors will not seek the death penalty, though the murder charges remain. Judge Garcia has not ruled on the commissary request and indicated he will consider it during mediation.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Trust size: CBS cites “at least $1.5 million,” while Rolling Stone reports “$1.7 million.”
- Amount owed: Reiner’s lawyers reference $558,000, whereas other filings mention “approximately $550,000.”
- Statute applicability: The trustee asserts the Slayer Statute bars any access, while Reiner’s counsel contends the statute does not apply until a conviction.
What’s Next
- December 16: Parties will meet with retired Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff for mediation.
- March 17, 2027: Judge Garcia will hear arguments and decide whether to approve any settlement.
The outcome of the mediation and the March 2027 settlement hearing will determine whether Nick Reiner can use his parents’ trust assets to fund his defense while the murder trial proceeds.