Nick Reiner’s lawyer says the person in control of his trust refused to distribute money until an investigation was complete, even as Nick pushed for the payout to secure a criminal defense attorney.
Nick Reiner’s trust sits on paper with about $1.7 million—yet the money he says he’s owed has still not moved. His lawyer claims the trustee initially held the distribution back until “an investigation was complete,” and that delay is now shaping what happens next in court.
A letter dated May 11. addressed to the trustee of Nick Reiner’s trust (created by Rob and Michele Reiner). is at the center of the dispute. Nick’s lawyer. in that filing. demanded the trustee distribute the portion Nick was due to receive when he turned 30—two years before he allegedly murdered his parents in their L.A. home.
Nick’s lawyer argued the delay didn’t make sense because the trustee allegedly could not even confirm whether the payment was made. She pointed out there was “no reason … the trustee should not yet know whether half the trust was distributed two years ago.”
The letter also reflects a sharper problem: the lawyer said the trustee told her an investigation was needed to determine whether the trust “requires or leaves to the trustee the discretion to make a distribution at age 30.” Nick’s side insists the trust was set up with clear instructions and that the money needed to be turned over ASAP.
That urgency is tied directly to Nick’s criminal defense. Nick told the court he wanted to re-hire Alan Jackson to defend him in court, and his lawyer’s request to speed up the payout was framed as part of getting legal representation in place.
The fight goes further into what’s being used to justify withholding. Nick’s lawyer asked the trustee to explain whether the money was being held due to “incompetence”—which she said was BS. Her reasoning was specific: there was no written statement of incompetence by two licensed physicians. which she said the trust required if the trustee was going to rely on that argument.
As the situation stands, court filings are expected to escalate. Nick’s lawyer also has the next steps in mind, and sources close to the matter say the trustee will file court documents next week asking the judge to release the money.
The core tension remains simple and volatile: Nick’s family trust may be sizable, but the question of whether it must pay out at a defined age is driving how quickly he can secure the defense he says he needs.
Nick Reiner trustee trust investigation Rob and Michele Reiner $1.7 million trust Alan Jackson criminal defense L.A. home trust distribution at age 30