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Nick Reiner’s attorney Alan Jackson shockingly stepped down as his representation for the trial of his parents Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner’s murders — and lawyers are weighing in on why that may have happened.
During Nick’s court appearance on Wednesday, January 7, Jackson revealed that he had withdrawn from the case. Due to the change in council, Nick did not enter a plea as expected, and his arraignment was pushed to Monday, February 23. He will now be represented by public defender Kimberly Greene.
Shortly after making the announcement, Jackson spoke to reporters outside the courthouse but did not elaborate on the reasoning behind the decision.
“Circumstances beyond our control, but more importantly, circumstances beyond Nick’s control, have dictated that, sadly, it’s made it impossible for us to continue our representation of Nick,” Jackson said. “I’m legally and I’m ethically prohibited from explaining all the reasons why, I know that’s a question on everyone’s mind.”
While Jackson did not give an explanation, criminal defense attorney R.J. Dreiling and entertainment attorney Tre Lovell have offered some insight on why this could happen.
Keep scrolling for a full breakdown of why Jackson may have stepped down as Nick’s lawyer:
Why Was Nick Reiner Arrested?
Nick Reiner was arrested in December 2025, one day after his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in their Brentwood, California, home with apparent stab wounds. The couple died at ages 78 and 70, respectively.
Nick was later charged with two counts of first degree murder. Jackson, who famously represented Karen Read, was hired to defend Nick. During Nick’s first court appearance, Jackson was by his side. Nick did not enter a plea and his arraignment was pushed to January 7.
Nick and Jackson appeared in court again in January where the attorney announced he decided to step down. A public defender was appointed to Nick’s case. Nick ultimately did not enter a plea, and his arraignment was pushed.
He is still being held in prison without bail. If convicted, he faces life in prison or the death penalty.
Why Alan Jackson May Have Stepped Down
Tre Lovell, who runs The Lovell Firm, admitted that Alan Jackson’s “withdrawal was a bit of a surprise.”
“Conventionally, attorneys may choose to withdraw in criminal defense cases for a variety of reasons, which could include financial issues or hesitations to get involved based on the evidence and chances of success,” Lovell told Us Weekly. “Also, in cases where the defendant is mentally challenged or impaired, often occurring in matters involving an insanity defense, there can be an inherent difficulty in the defendant being able to participate in his defense and/or assist with his case.”
Lovell added that in some situations, a defense attorney could have “issues with the client” which could lead to stepping down from the case.
R.J. Dreiling — who has represented Milton Andersen, the uncle of the Menendez brothers — added that Jackson is a well-regarded attorney in the legal community.
“Alan is an excellent attorney not just because of what he does in court, but because of how he works up a case. I would not discount anything he says,” Dreilling told Us. “That being said, the prosecutors handling the case are in an elite division of the most prestigious prosecuting agencies in the country so I do not doubt for a second that they are doing their due diligence.”
Does Nick Reiner Have to Keep His Public Defender?
While Kimberly Greene was appointed to Nick Reiner’s case, he could hire a new lawyer if he wanted to.
“Every defendant has a right to a public defender,” R.J. Dreiling said. “That doesn’t mean that Reiner at some point can’t get a private attorney.”
What Could Happen Next for Nick Reiner?
R.J. Dreiling theorized that Nick Reiner could “plead not guilty by reason of insanity” as a potential defense.
“His attorney will want to preserve that defense. Sometimes, if that plea is not entered at the outset, down the road it can be difficult to change the plea,” he explained. “But there is no difficulty in abandoning the insanity defense and instead challenging the elements of the case if the evidence warrants it.”
Dreiling added that prosecution could be “holding out the possibility of capital punishment.” (Capital punishment, which includes the death penalty, is legal in California but executions have been halted due to a 2019 gubernatorial moratorium.)
“One of the reasons they do that, regardless of the governor’s moratorium, is to get leverage on a plea deal,” the attorney shared. “On the flip side, pleading insanity gives the defense leverage because that is a complete defense that can lead to acquittal.”
Lovell added that while prosecution has to persuade a jury that the accused committed a crime, the defendant’s team has to prove the case of insanity with a “preponderance of the evidence.”
“That means they actually have to put on witnesses, provide medication documentation, and give evidence to support their claim,” Lovell explained. “That can include medical reports, psychiatric reports, and even lay witnesses talking about how the person was behaving.”
For Nick’s situation, Lovell theorized that both sides would “interview witnesses from Conan O’Brien’s party to see what they observed about Nick’s behavior.” (Nick attended the comedian’s holiday party with his parents the night before their death. A source told Us exclusively at the time that Nick was behaving “creepily” at the event, while additional outlets reported Nick got in various altercations with his father and actor Bill Hader.)
