Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Revenues	$ 12,994,000	$ 37,192,000	$ 87,540,000	$ 99,846,000
Operating costs and expenses
Inventor royalties	116,000	4,667,000	10,706,000	16,312,000
Contingent legal fees	1,972,000	7,663,000	12,268,000	16,267,000
Litigation and licensing expenses - patents	10,345,000	9,592,000	28,032,000	29,406,000
Amortization of patents	13,688,000	13,511,000	39,954,000	43,515,000
General and administrative expenses (including non-cash stock compensation expense of $2,164 and $8,588 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 and $3,954 and $14,022 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively)	9,442,000	11,636,000	29,604,000	36,510,000
Research, consulting and other expenses - business development	802,000	1,208,000	2,531,000	3,203,000
Other expenses	3,465,000	1,548,000	3,891,000	1,548,000
Total operating costs and expenses	39,830,000	49,825,000	126,986,000	146,761,000
Operating loss	(26,836,000)	(12,633,000)	(39,446,000)	(46,915,000)
Total interest and other investment loss, net	(180,000)	(57,000)	(56,000)	(144,000)
Loss before provision for income taxes	(27,016,000)	(12,690,000)	(39,502,000)	(47,059,000)
Provision for income taxes	(337,000)	(145,000)	(626,000)	(3,462,000)
Loss including noncontrolling interests in operating subsidiaries	(27,353,000)	(12,835,000)	(40,128,000)	(50,521,000)
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests in operating subsidiaries	43,000	420,000	(3,998,000)	736,000
Net loss attributable to Acacia Research Corporation	(27,310,000)	(12,415,000)	(44,126,000)	(49,785,000)
Net loss available to common stockholders, basic	$ (27,450,000)	$ (12,575,000)	$ (44,691,000)	$ (50,356,000)
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted	$ (0.55)	$ (0.26)	$ (0.90)	$ (1.04)
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic and Diluted	49,630,369	48,806,334	49,423,548	48,561,428
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Cash Paid	$ 0.125	$ 0.125	$ 0.375	$ 0.375