Mary Schneider is teaching a course on Family Law Mediation this spring semester at the University of Arkansas Law School.

Upon completion, students that took Schneider’s class, which has been approved by the Arkansas Dispute Resolution Commission, will receive certification as Family Law Mediators.

Last week, Schneider taught on “The Plan to Separately Parent Children after Divorce.” Oftentimes, parents fighting over custody in court can fuel competitive, conflicting relationships between divorcing parents, leaving the children in an unhealthy familial situation.

“Mediation allows the divorcing parents an opportunity to develop a parently plan which focuses on the future and address the day-to-day details of raising children as co-parents rather than the “win-lose” emphasis that they get by going to court,” Schneider said.

Mediation encourages effective and efficient parenting plans that walk the client through the processes and philosophies that will be best for the child(ren), including time spent with children, the costs of raising children, and dispute resolution.

Disputants consider mediation less damaging to relationships with former spouses than traditional courtroom proceedings, according to Mediate.com.