Nick Reiner's Defense Attorney Suddenly Withdrew from the Case: Legal Expert Weighs in on Why By Gillian Telling

Moments into Nick Reiner’s arraignment in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Jan. 7, his attorney, Alan Jackson, who appeared at Reiner’s initial court appearance following his arrest, withdrew from the case.

Reiner, who has been accused of killing his parents Rob Reiner and Michele Reiner, will now be represented by public defender Kimberly Greene.

After speaking to the judge, Jackson said in court that his legal team had “no choice” but to withdraw from the case. However, he didn’t say why, only telling reporters shortly after that his former client was “not guilty” of murder. Reiner, who was wearing a tan jumpsuit and sporting a shaved head during the court appearance, did not enter a plea.

The arraignment was subsequently pushed to Feb. 23.

Below, Bobby Taghavi, the managing partner at Sweet James law firm, tells PEOPLE a few potential reasons for the last-minute shakeup. Taghavi is not involved in the case.

Why would his lawyer suddenly withdraw from the case on the day of his arraignment?

Without speculating, attorneys withdraw for a few common reasons, most often an ethical conflict that arises, a breakdown in the attorney-client relationship, or other confidential issues they can’t discuss publicly. A change in counsel doesn’t speak to guilt or innocence; it usually means something shifted behind the scenes that required substitution.

Would that be Jackson’s personal choice to withdraw, or could there be financial reasons?

It can be either. Sometimes it’s a strategy or relationship issue, other times it’s a conflict that requires recusal, and in some cases it’s financial if the fees can’t be maintained. The most important point is we don’t know the specific reason unless it’s stated on the record.

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Will Nick Reiner only have a public defender going forward, or could he get another private attorney?

If he can’t afford private counsel, the court can appoint a public defender after reviewing a financial declaration or eligibility information. He can also later retain private counsel if circumstances change.

Could this mean the Reiner family didn’t want to pay for Nick’s defense attorney?

I’d be cautious with that inference, lawyer withdrawals often have nothing to do with family funding and can be driven by conflicts or confidential issues. Even if a public defender is appointed, that typically reflects the defendant’s eligibility determination by the court, not a confirmed family decision.