Disney World in the Rose Garden

At Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom at Disney World lives the Hall of Presidents – George Washington through Donald Trump. After a brief movie, the curtain rises to reveal “startlingly realistic Audio-Animatronics replicas of every President of the United States,” according to Disney. It opened in 1971.

President Trump could be attempting to recreate the Hall of Presidents on what used to be the White House Rose Garden.

Robin Pogrebin, writing on July 20, 2026, in the New York Times, said President Trump added a Thomas Jefferson statue “last week.” It was installed in one night.

Sculptor George Lundeen has a picture of his Thomas Jefferson work on his website. The bronze sculpture was created in 1994 and has been on exhibit at the University of Missouri in Columbia and now the Rose Garden, White House. It comes in three sizes (Trump chose the largest one). Ironically, the large sculpture is one of a “limited edition of 36.”

Here’s a link to the Executive Order that attempts to create a statutory walk of some 250 “historically significant Americans.” It even lists those to be included. There’s Johnny Cash but not Dolly Parton; Billy Graham but not Cotton Mather; Russell Kirk but not Charlie Kirk and so it goes.

UT law professor is published

Christopher Sundby

Christopher Sundby, assistant professor of law at Winston College of Law, University of Tennessee, has published “The Neuroscience of Evidentiary Rules: The Case of the Present Sense Impression” in Volume 78 of the SMU Law Review.

The article proposes reforming the present sense impression based on original empirical research testing the psychological assumptions behind the rule and provides a blueprint for how neuroscience research can be used to improve the empirical underpinnings of the rules of evidence generally. View the article here.

Dr. Sundby holds a J.D. degree and a Ph.D. in neuroscience, both from Vanderbilt University. He graduated with high honors from Oberlin College. He specializes in the intersection of law and neuroscience. He joined the Winston Law faculty in 2025 and holds a joint appointment with the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience.

Notes & Quotes

Todd Blanche will have a busy day on Thursday, July 30, 2026. First, the Senate Judiciary Committee will take up his confirmation as U.S. attorney general. A positive committee vote is necessary to move the nomination to the Senate floor. Second, it is the deadline to turn over certain unredacted Epstein Files to Judge Emmet Sullivan in Phang v. Blanche. You can catch Phang on her blog. She is a trial lawyer in addition to being a journalist.

Knox County needs a new Clerk and Master since Scott Griswold has taken a job with the state. If interested, call your favorite chancellor.

Back-to-school is sooner than you think: Monday, August 3, is the first day for Knox County teachers; Friday, August 7, is orientation for sixth and nineth graders; Monday, August 10, is first day for students (half day). 2026-27 school calendar here.

Quote: That there is a Devil, is a thing doubted by none but such as are under the influences of the Devil. – Cotton Mather

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Sandra Clark compiles obituary links and writes daily at KnoxTNToday – the Let’s Talk series includes topics of law, neighbors, schools, leaders and outdoors. Enjoyed this article? Read more Let’s Talk – Law  by Sandra Clark.

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