Nick Reiner, who is accused of killing his parents, filmmaker Rob Reiner and producer Michelle Singer Reiner, is asking a California court to release money from a trust fund they established for him so he can pay legal expenses and cover basic necessities while jailed awaiting trial.
In a probate petition filed Monday and obtained by People magazine, Reiner, 32, seeks access to more than $1.5 million held in a trust created by his parents. Reiner argues he should have received half of the trust when he turned 30 and that the trustee has improperly withheld funds.
The request comes as Reiner faces two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the December 2025 deaths of his parents at their Brentwood home. He has pleaded not guilty and remains jailed without bail while prosecutors continue to weigh whether to seek the death penalty. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September.
According to the reported petition, the trust was established separately from his parents’ estate and was intended solely for his benefit. Reiner contends that the trust’s distributions are mandatory rather than discretionary and that concerns raised by trustee Paul Kanin about his ability to manage the money are unsupported.
The filing states there has been no legal finding that he is incompetent and argues that withholding funds violates the terms of the trust.
Reiner says he needs access to the money to pay attorneys and fund his legal defense. The petition also states he wants funds for his jail commissary account to purchase basic items such as hygiene products and clothing.
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The filing also references the withdrawal of prominent defense attorney Alan Jackson earlier this year. Jackson, who initially represented Reiner after his arrest, stepped away from the case after Reiner allegedly could not afford the attorney. Reiner is now represented by a public defender, though the petition suggests he hopes to retain private counsel if the trust funds are released.
Authorities allege Reiner fatally stabbed his parents in their Los Angeles home in December. Police arrested him hours later, and prosecutors subsequently charged him with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances. A judge has not yet ruled on Reiner’s request for access to the trust funds.