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Commitments and Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Patent Enforcement
    Certain of Acacia’s operating subsidiaries are often required to engage in litigation to enforce their patents and patent rights.  In connection with any of Acacia’s operating subsidiaries’ patent enforcement actions, it is possible that a defendant may request and/or a court may rule that an operating subsidiary has violated statutory authority, regulatory authority, federal rules, local court rules, or governing standards relating to the substantive or procedural aspects of such enforcement actions.  In such event, a court may issue monetary sanctions against Acacia or its operating subsidiaries or award attorney’s fees and/or expenses to a defendant(s), which could be material.

    
Other

On June 17, 2015, Celltrace Communications Ltd. (“Celltrace”) filed a lawsuit against Acacia in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Case No. 1:15-cv-04746, alleging, among other things, significant damages for alleged breach of contract, unjust enrichment and fraud.  Acacia disputes the allegations and does not believe that Celltrace is entitled to any damages.  Acacia successfully moved to compel arbitration of the dispute, and the District Court stayed the litigation pending arbitration before the International Court of Arbitration for the International Chamber of Commerce (the “ICC”).  Celltrace appealed the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which denied the appeal.  Celltrace filed its request for arbitration of the claims with the ICC on November 28, 2016.  Acacia filed an answer denying all allegations of wrongdoing and asserting affirmative defenses.  A tribunal was appointed to preside over the arbitration and conducted its first case management conference on June 26, 2017.  The parties have conducted discovery and are submitting their cases in chief to the tribunal in a series of briefs per the tribunal’s orders.  That briefing is scheduled to conclude on December 7, 2018.  An evidentiary hearing is scheduled to take place in February 2019, and Acacia intends to continue vigorously contesting Celltrace’s allegations.  

Acacia is subject to claims, counterclaims and legal actions that arise in the ordinary course of business.  Management believes that the ultimate liability with respect to these claims and legal actions, if any, will not have a material effect on Acacia’s condensed consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, operating expenses included expenses for settlement and contingency accruals totaling $2,202,000, net of prior accruals.