In a courtroom decorated for Halloween, the bailiff and judge both appear in costume as Strip Law season 1, episode 2 begins. At the participants’ table, a portly older gentleman sits while his lawyer speaks to the judge. The judge, bemused, declares that all the paperwork grants exclusive Santa Claus rights for Nevada to the movant, Kristopher Kross Kringle.
As the judge makes this declaration, Lincoln bursts in, claiming he represents the real Santa Claus. The judge agrees to hear the case to determine who gets Santa rights.
Earlier, at Gumb Legal, the crew decorates the office and expresses their excitement for the holiday. Sheila says she welcomes the distraction since Lincoln has been tightly wound ever since their last win. Proving her point, Lincoln emerges from his office announcing he has an important client on the way.
Sheila suggests they celebrate both the holiday and their recent success. Lincoln counters that he is a realist and that things only work out when he makes them work. A slovenly dressed man enters the office looking for Lincoln. The man is Harry.
Harry and Lincoln discuss the case. Kringle has been traveling state to state legally declaring himself Santa Claus. Harry believes he is owed the title due to his status as a natural-born Vegas citizen and his large fortune.
When Harry leaves, Sheila questions whether they should represent him. Lincoln rationalizes that one old man getting a title over another does no real harm, and they need the paycheck.
To begin researching the case, the gang watches a Christmas movie marathon to determine what qualifies someone as Santa. During the marathon, it becomes apparent that teenage Irene still believes Santa Claus exists.
In a pessimistic explanation, Lincoln tells Irene that parents invent Santa in a desperate attempt to relive their own childhoods. Adulthood, he says, rarely comes with magic or anyone handing out free gifts. Lincoln ends the marathon and puts Irene to work investigating Kringle. With magic freshly dismantled, Irene mournfully accepts the job.
At Crimmons’ house, Lincoln pulls up to find a once-lavish home now in disarray. Harry claims his elves are simply lazy and offers Lincoln a tour of the “workshop.” It becomes increasingly clear that Harry has an inconsistent grip on reality and may genuinely believe he is Santa. This brings the story back to the courtroom scene from the opening.
Meanwhile, at Gumb Legal, Irene makes a call to dig up dirt on Kringle. She contacts a child who was tricked into helping convince the court that Kringle is Santa. The child learned the hard truth when Christmas arrived and the promised gift never came.
When Lincoln returns to his office, he finds Glem and Sheila unsuccessfully attempting to manufacture Christmas magic. Irene, meanwhile, spirals over what other beliefs in her life might also be lies.
Later, while Lincoln litigates in court, Irene accesses Kringle’s office computer and uncovers irrefutable anti-Santa proof. The discovery is bittersweet. If she hands it over, the magic will disappear for many more children.
That evening, the adults gather at Friendigans, the bar located beneath Gumb Legal. They discuss how the case is increasingly difficult, especially since Harry keeps making offhand comments that do not sound very Santa-like. Sheila and Glem decide to bail on the case altogether, opting instead to pull Halloween pranks on Steve Nichols.
Frustrated, Lincoln declares that his entire team is useless to him and immature. Irene enters and hears Lincoln's statement. She destroys the evidence she found and makes a point to get a jump start on adulthood if Lincoln wants her to grow up so badly.
With no help and running out of time, Lincoln challenges Kringle to a Santa-off in court. The judge allows the motion. Classic Santa tropes are put to the test, including toy construction and chimney ascension. Out on the town, Sheila and Glem play multiple scorpion-based pranks on Nichols. After growing bored with such an easy target, the two decide to prank each other.
Back at Friendigans, Lincoln explains that he feels more confident heading into closing remarks the following day. Meanwhile, Sheila and Glem escalate their pranks. What begins as mischief edges closer to second-degree felonies, though the infamous $3,000 ejector-seat prank still gets a laugh. As the pranksters are eventually swept out of the bar, Kringle enters. Kringle offers Lincoln an in-house counsel position at Christmas Cola if he throws the case during closing arguments.
After hearing the offer, Lincoln realizes the world is messy because of people like Kringle. He wants it to be better and declines the position. Crimmons may be delusional, but at least he believes in something.
The following day, Halloween, Lincoln strides into the courtroom with renewed confidence. He is then told that Harry wishes to deliver his own closing argument. Much to Lincoln’s dismay, he takes a leap of faith and gives Harry the floor.
Harry tells the judge he knows there was a Christmas when Santa failed to deliver a promised gift. He then throws a wet paper bag onto the bench. Inside is $30,000, the gift the judge always wanted. The jurors receive similar “gifts.” Lincoln and Harry unsurprisingly win the case.
Afterward, the mayor of Las Vegas presents Harry with the key to the city. Literally. Harry receives a skeleton key granting him entry into every home so he can perform his Santa duties. He promises to wield this responsibility as strangely as possible.
Lincoln apologizes to Irene for taking the magic of Christmas from her. She accepts the outcome, reasoning that there now is a Santa Claus. He may be strange, but he exists. Glem and Sheila exchange one final Halloween prank. Glem ends up catatonic from a peyote-induced haze, and Sheila ends up covered in scorpions courtesy of several children.
Strip Law reminds viewers what the holidays are truly about: acting nothing like your age and resolving serious disputes with laughter and money.
Catch all of season 1 now on Netflix.