Nick Reiner‘s legal team appeared in court seeking access to a trust fund established by his late parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.
“The main thing to take away from today’s hearing and moving forward is Nick Reiner is very much entitled to his own money, his own funds. That’s what this process is about,” Nick’s former attorney Alan Jackson told Us and other reporters outside of court on Monday, August 17. “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. When he is allowed to do that, he will then be able to defend himself in the way that the constitution indicates he should and can defend himself.”
Jackson, 61, accused the trustee of “obstructing” and not allowing Nick, 32, immediate access to his funds.
During the hearing, another attorney for Nick said his team and the trustee agree that private mediation is best. Nick’s lawyer also noted there is “reason to believe” that a settlement could be reached and is “hopeful” siblings Romy Reiner and Jake Reiner will participate in mediation and agree to a settlement.
Nick’s legal team claimed they reached out, but have not heard back from the siblings’ counsel and wants them bound by the settlement if they do not participate in mediation.
Another attorney on behalf of the trustee also claimed their client remains neutral and is willing to go to mediation.
The judge said there is a system and it’s “a long process,” but agreed to another hearing on October 23.
Back in June, Nick first sought access to his share of a $1.5 million trust fund set up by his late parents.
At the time, Nick argued that he should have received half of that sum when he turned 30 in September 2023. (The trust was established by his parents upon his birth in 1993.)
In early August, however, lawyers for Nick’s previous and current trustee — Paul Kanin and Jodi Pais Montgomery — from receiving any money from the trust due to California’s “Slayer Statute.”
The “Slayer Statute” law states that “a person who feloniously and intentionally kills the decedent is not entitled” to any financial assets or property from the person or people they killed.
On Wednesday, August 12, Nick was indicted for the murders of Rob and Michele nearly eight months after they were found dead in their Brentwood, California, home.
According to the indictment obtained by Us, Nick is accused of committing first-degree murder on his parents on or about December 14, 2025.
“This was a profound betrayal by someone who was loved and trusted by the very people he is accused of killing,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement. “The indictment unsealed today also adds a special circumstance allegation that the defendant committed the murders by means of lying in wait. We hope that by having a grand jury return an indictment in this case, it will bring us one step closer to a trial and achieving justice.”
Nick, who has struggled with addiction and mental health issues over the years, pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder with the special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and murder by means of lying in wait after the indictment was unsealed.
He is scheduled to return for a pretrial hearing on September 15 in a Los Angeles courtroom.
If Nick is denied access to the trust, his siblings could become “contingent remainder beneficiaries,” per the trustee.
Romy and Jake — who were not in attendance for Monday’s hearing — have not publicly commented on the trust fund battle playing out in court. Instead, the pair are trying to keep a low profile as they continue their grieving process.
“Nothing can prepare you for what it feels like to lose both parents instantly at the same time,” Jake, 35, wrote in an April essay shared to his Substack. “It’s too devastating to comprehend. I still wake up every morning having to convince myself that, no, it’s not a dream. This truly is my living nightmare.”
