Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Revenues	$ 24,721,000	$ 34,210,000
Operating costs and expenses
Inventor royalties	1,573,000	9,325,000
Contingent legal fees	4,109,000	4,784,000
Litigation and licensing expenses - patents	7,723,000	8,675,000
Amortization of patents	10,760,000	13,038,000
General and administrative expenses (including non-cash stock compensation expense of $1,735 for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and $3,247 for the three months ended March 31, 2015, respectively)	7,994,000	10,575,000
Research, consulting and other expenses - business development	522,000	997,000
Other expenses	1,742,000	426,000
Total operating costs and expenses	34,423,000	47,820,000
Operating loss	(9,702,000)	(13,610,000)
Total other income (expense)	(3,000)	228,000
Loss before provision for income taxes	(9,705,000)	(13,382,000)
Provision for income taxes	(192,000)	(170,000)
Loss including noncontrolling interests in operating subsidiaries	(9,897,000)	(13,552,000)
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests in operating subsidiaries	(68,000)	422,000
Net loss attributable to Acacia Research Corporation	(9,965,000)	(13,130,000)
Net loss available to common stockholders, basic	$ (9,965,000)	$ (13,345,000)
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted	$ (0.20)	$ (0.27)
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic and Diluted	49,925,550	49,212,207
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Cash Paid	$ 0.000	$ 0.125