Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Revenues	$ 41,351,000	$ 40,336,000	$ 66,072,000	$ 74,546,000
Operating costs and expenses
Inventor royalties	0	1,265,000	1,573,000	10,590,000
Contingent legal fees	10,418,000	5,512,000	14,527,000	10,296,000
Litigation and licensing expenses - patents	7,324,000	9,012,000	15,047,000	17,687,000
Amortization of patents	10,759,000	13,228,000	21,519,000	26,266,000
General and administrative expenses (including non-cash stock compensation expense of $1,475 and $3,210 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, respectively, and $3,177 and $6,424 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2015, respectively)	7,535,000	9,587,000	15,529,000	20,162,000
Research, consulting and other expenses - business development	1,334,000	732,000	1,856,000	1,729,000
Impairment of Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)	40,165,000	0	40,165,000	0
Other expenses	(1,242,000)	0	500,000	426,000
Total operating costs and expenses	76,293,000	39,336,000	110,716,000	87,156,000
Operating income (loss)	(34,942,000)	1,000,000	(44,644,000)	(12,610,000)
Total other income (expense)	(52,000)	(104,000)	(55,000)	124,000
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes	(34,994,000)	896,000	(44,699,000)	(12,486,000)
Provision for income taxes	(5,927,000)	(119,000)	(6,119,000)	(289,000)
Income (loss) including noncontrolling interests in operating subsidiaries	(40,921,000)	777,000	(50,818,000)	(12,775,000)
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests in operating subsidiaries	348,000	(4,463,000)	280,000	(4,041,000)
Net loss attributable to Acacia Research Corporation	(40,573,000)	(3,686,000)	(50,538,000)	(16,816,000)
Net loss available to common stockholders, basic	$ (40,573,000)	$ (3,896,000)	$ (50,538,000)	$ (17,241,000)
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted	$ (0.81)	$ (0.08)	$ (1.01)	$ (0.35)
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic and Diluted	50,015,869	49,423,472	49,970,709	49,318,423
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Cash Paid	$ 0.000	$ 0.125	$ 0.000	$ 0.250