Nick Reiner says his siblings committed to covering his legal fees. Then he says they reversed that commitment

Nick Reiner has just accused his siblings of backing out of an agreement to fund his legal defense as he moves forward with a probate petition filed on June 8. The 32-year-old, who is the middle child of filmmaker Rob Reiner and producer Michele Singer Reiner, is currently awaiting trial for the December 2025 killing of his parents.

According to PEOPLE, this legal maneuver is aimed at securing access to a trust fund worth over $1.5 million so that he can re-engage high-profile attorney Alan Jackson, who initially represented him following his arrest last December. Currently, Nick is being represented by L.A. County public defender Kimberly Greene as he faces two counts of first-degree murder, to which he has entered a plea of not guilty.

As PEOPLE noted, the probate petition states, “Nick loved his parents, and he is devastated by their deaths. But the facts about what did and did not happen to them are not at issue in this Trust litigation.” Reportedly, Nick’s parents established separate trusts for their children. The petition claims that one-half of the funds in Nick’s trust were supposed to be distributed to him when he turned 30, with the remainder due at age 35. 

Nick argues that since he is 32, he should have received the first distribution

The filing alleges that the trustee withheld the money and has instead “offered a shifting series of excuses and justifications,” including “unsubstantiated ‘concerns’ about Nick’s so-called competence to ‘manage a trust.’ ” Per PEOPLE, the petition argues that these distributions are non-discretionary, and “the trust does not authorize the Trustee to condition these distribution points on any subjective assessment by the Trustee as to Nick’s intended use of those funds.”

Nick is currently looking to use these funds not just for his legal team, but also to cover his commissary account while he is in prison. The petition states that he needs it “so that he can buy basic support items while incarcerated (e.g., socks and personal hygiene items like soap) within the low spending limits imposed by the jail.”

PEOPLE stated that Alan Jackson is well-known for his work with high-profile clients like Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey, and was originally set to lead the defense. According to the court filing, Jackson “agreed to undertake the defense, subject to a retainer agreement and funding, with the siblings agreeing to act as third-party payors.” 

In a declaration supporting the petition, Jackson explained, “Mr. Reiner’s siblings participated in communications concerning the representation and agreed verbally to act as third-party payors for Mr. Reiner’s defense. The family representative and family members assured me that the retainer agreement would be promptly returned and that the agreed-upon funds would be promptly paid.”

Things reportedly took a turn in late December 2025 when Jackson was informed by a family representative that the promised funding would not be provided. Jackson noted, “That position was inconsistent with the prior assurances on which my firm had relied. Without an available source of funding, continued private representation by my firm was no longer feasible.” Consequently, Jackson withdrew from the case. 

PEOPLE reported that an email sent on May 11 by Nick’s attorney, Anita P. Wu, reaffirmed that the legal fees were negotiated and agreed upon by the siblings before they reversed their commitment. Despite the withdrawal, Jackson has expressed that he remains “committed to representing” Nick and is “willing to consider reasonable alternatives to the original fee arrangement.”

A recent development, as reported by TMZ, there is a potential glimmer of hope for Nick’s financial situation. Per sources, the trustee, Jodi Montgomery, has stated that she is actually looking to facilitate the release of these funds. The sources indicate that Montgomery plans to file legal paperwork to ask a judge to sign off on Nick’s petition. 

The judge will have the final say on the matter. However, the trustee’s willingness to move forward could be a significant development for Nick as he remains in custody.

It is important to note that Nick’s petition does not explicitly clarify if the funding was intended to come from Nick’s specific trust or other family assets. Per PEOPLE, the petition emphasizes that “the stakes for Nick could not be higher,” especially given his current inability to afford private counsel or even basic necessities while behind bars. 

Nick Reiner’s case has been a turbulent one. According to reports, before he allegedly killed his parents, they had expressed worry about his worsening mental health. After his arrest, he was immediately put on suicide watch. Now, the family has to wait for the case to proceed to get clarity or closure for the death of their parents.