Todd Bridges just filed for divorce on March 31, asking a judge to end his three-year marriage to Bettijo B. Hirschi and saying the relationship is “broken beyond repair.” This filing, signed in court documents, is the latest legal step after the couple publicly announced their separation in January. In an era when older celebrities increasingly rely on written agreements to speed splits, the Bridges filing reads like a tidy, prearranged exit—intentional and swift.
According to the court papers filed March 31, Bridges—best known for his role on Diff’rent Strokes—states he and Hirschi are living separately, that there is no community property, and that the pair entered a signed written agreement governing division of property, debt and spousal maintenance. He asks the court to confirm that real estate he owned before the marriage remain his separate property and requests that neither party receive spousal support.
The legal filing follows the couple’s joint announcement of their separation in January. Bridges released a statement at the time saying, “After much prayer and reflection, my spouse and I have made the difficult decision to separate,” calling the choice painful but made with gratitude for their time together. The March 31 documents formalize that public statement and lay out the financial and property terms the actor wants the court to honor.
Bridges and Hirschi wed in 2022 after meeting through a mutual friend; Hirschi has spoken about their courtship publicly (on The Tamron Hall Show and to People), describing a funny, almost accidental introduction involving a friend who created an online dating profile on her behalf. She has also talked about a shared faith with Bridges as a central bond—remarks that made headlines when the marriage began.
Both bring family commitments into the mix: Bridges was previously married to Dori Smith, with whom he shares two children, while Hirschi is a mother of four from a prior relationship. That blended-family context likely informed the written agreement the filing references—agreements that are becoming more common among later-in-life marriages in Hollywood.
Fans and industry observers reacted quickly on social media after news of the filing circulated, with sympathies and speculation appearing across platforms. But because the court documents point to a written settlement and no shared debt, this seems likely to be an uncontested, paperwork-driven process rather than the drawn-out court battles sometimes seen in celebrity splits. What happens next is largely procedural: the court will review the petition, and any timeline will depend on whether either side files objections.
One practical takeaway: when public figures enter marriage later in life, they often protect separate assets and agree in advance on support—steps that reduce litigation risk and keep personal matters private. Could this be a model other celebrities follow more often? Time will tell.
For now, the filing marks a formal end to the marriage that began in 2022—the next items to watch are any responses filed by Hirschi and the court’s scheduling of proceedings.