Judge Allows Nick Reiner to Receive Jail Commissary Money as Fight Over Family Trust Continues

Nick Reiner, who is awaiting trial on charges that he murdered his parents, filmmaker Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, has been granted limited access to money from his family trust to pay for basic items while in jail.

On October 23, 2026, a judge authorized the trust’s successor trustee to deposit up to $300 at a time into Reiner’s jail commissary account. The decision offers a temporary resolution to one part of a wider legal dispute over a trust reportedly worth approximately $1.5 million. The broader question of whether Reiner can access the funds remains unresolved.

The 33-year-old has been held at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles since December 2025. His lawyers previously told the court that he had not received “even $5” from the trust to purchase basic necessities from the jail commissary.

Reiner’s parents established the trust for him when he was an infant. His attorneys argue that he was entitled to receive at least $558,000 when he turned 30 in September 2023, more than two years before his parents died. They contend that this money became payable to him before the deaths and should not be withheld under California’s so-called Slayer Statute.

That law can prevent someone who has feloniously and intentionally killed another person from benefiting financially from the death. The trust’s representatives have argued that the legal questions surrounding Reiner’s murder case must be considered before the disputed funds are released.

Reiner has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the December 2025 deaths of his parents. The allegations have not been proven at trial.

The dispute has also affected his legal representation. His former attorney, Alan Jackson, withdrew from the criminal case in January 2026, citing circumstances beyond his control. Reiner is now represented by a public defender, although his lawyers have argued that access to the trust could help him retain private counsel and pay for other defense expenses.

The court’s latest order allows limited money for commissary expenses, but it does not resolve whether Reiner can access the larger sum he is seeking. The parties have agreed to mediation scheduled for December 16, 2026, with a further court conference set for March 2027.

For now, the legal battle over the trust continues alongside the criminal case. The central question remains whether the disputed funds can be released while the murder charges against Reiner are still pending.

Source:  PEOPLE