How Nick Reiner could use his parents’ money to pay his legal bills — despite California’s ‘Slayer Statute’

Rob Reiner’s troubled son Nick won’t see a penny of his famous family’s fortune if he’s convicted of killing his parents – but could still use some of their money for his million-dollar legal bills, experts said.

California’s “Slayer Statute” law prohibits anyone convicted of “intentionally killing” someone from receiving any money from the victims’ estate – which in Reiners’ case is estimated to be around $200 million.

But with high-profile attorney Alan Jackson taking on Nick’s legal defense, speculation quickly grew how the accused killer, who has faced drug problems and was living in his parents’ guest house, was paying for the hot-shot lawyer.

Nick Reiner is facing first-degree murder charges. Getty Images for Wynn Las Vegas

While it’s unknown what family estate planning the acclaimed movie director set up, lawyers said they’d be surprised if the 78-year-old father of four didn’t have a will and trustee set up considering his vast assets and age.

His life was cut short early Sunday when Nick allegedly stabbed him and mom Michele Singer Reiner to death inside their Brentwood home.

He’s facing two counts of first-degree murder.

Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said this week his office was considering whether it would pursue the death penalty against the nepo baby – though a governor’s moratorium is in place pausing all executions since 2019.

Nick’s ability to cobble together funds to pay for a legal defense could be contingent on his siblings Jake and Romy – or anyone else who is connected to Rob Reiner’s will or trust, said California estate planning lawyer Scott Schomer.

It remains unclear whether any estate or trust funds are currently being used to pay Nick’s legal fees, and no court filings reviewed by The Post detail how his defense is being financed at this stage.

The couple has three children, including eldest Jake (right) and youngest Romy (left). michelereiner/Instagram

Rob Reiner also has an adopted daughter from his first marriage, Tracy.

Nick’s older brother Jake and younger sister Romy or others in line for the inheritance could request a trustee of the estate disperse enough funds to Nick so he has an adequate attorney, Schomer said.

“Sort of like a CEO to shareholders, a trustee works for the beneficiaries,” said Schomer, who is also a Loyola Law School professor.

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“A trustee is holding the assets that belong to the beneficiaries and is making decisions about what to do with the money.”

“Maybe they want to see their brother defended,” the lawyer added, noting Nick’s mental health and drug issues.

Nick could also get money if a trust fund was set up just for him before his parents’ violent deaths – but again he would likely need his siblings or others connected to the estate to approve it, Schomer said.

Reiner sported an anti-suicide smock on Wednesday. REUTERS

Doling out funds to Nick even from his own trust could be a liability to the trustee, he added, because if he’s found guilty of murder, he wasn’t entitled to that money.

California lawyer Neama Rahmani also said Nick could use funds from a personal trust if he has one, but cautioned the trustee could stop existing payments “because the payments no longer further the purposes of the trust,” possibly opening up a legal battle between that trustee and Nick.

Schomer speculated Nick could also have his own money stashed away to pay for his legal team or Jackson could be taking the case on for free in return for the mountains of publicity.

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Ultimately, if Reiner is found guilty, he wouldn’t get any funds from his parents’ estate under state law, Rahmani, of West Coast Trial Lawyers, said.

“You kill your parents, the law presumes you predecease them,” he said.

Even if Reiner is found not guilty — for instance, by reason of insanity — there could be a legal fight in civil court to stop him from collecting money from the Reiners’ estate.

“The basic idea is that someone should not profit from such a heinous and horrible act,” Schomer said.

“You shouldn’t profit from murdering someone.”

Nick was arrested Sunday night hours after the double-slaying and has since been held behind bars.

He made a brief court appearance Wednesday, but his arraignment when he entered a plea was pushed off until Jan. 7.