Why Jackson’s Exit May Have Been Inevitable
Jackson is not merely a private citizen navigating a gray area. He is a seasoned criminal defense attorney, bound by heightened ethical duties and presumed to understand the contours of California probate and criminal law.
If there were even a risk that legal fees were being paid from a source later determined to be tainted by the Slayer Statute, withdrawal may have been the only defensible option. Continuing representation under those circumstances could invite court scrutiny, prosecutorial inquiry, or referral to disciplinary authorities—not because wrongdoing is proven, but because the appearance of impropriety alone can carry serious consequences.
Jackson’s carefully worded statements suggest as much. He emphasized that the circumstances prompting withdrawal were beyond both his control and Reiner’s control, while declining to elaborate. In legal practice, that combination often signals an external constraint—such as funding—rather than a breakdown in attorney-client relations.
