INCOME/LOSS PER SHARE (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Numerator:
Net (loss) income attributable to Acacia Research Corporation	$ (125,065)	$ 149,197
Dividend on Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock	(2,799)	(1,452)
Accretion of Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock	(5,171)	(3,829)
Undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	0	(25,112)
Net (loss) income attributable to common stockholders - Basic	(133,035)	118,804
Add: Dividend on Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock	0	1,452
Less: Change in fair value of Series A warrants	0	0
Less: Change in fair value of dilutive Series B warrants	0	44,037
Add: Interest expense associated with Starboard Notes, net of tax	0	4,658
Add: Undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	0	25,112
Reallocation of undistributed earnings to participating securities	0	(1,388)
Net (loss) income attributable to common stockholders - Diluted	$ (133,035)	$ 188,224
Denominator:
Weighted average number of shares outstanding - Basic	42,460,504	48,797,290
Potentially dilutive common shares:
Potentially dilutive common shares (in shares)	42,460,504	98,470,870
Weighted average number of shares outstanding, diluted	42,460,504	98,470,870
Basic net income (loss) per common share (in usd per share)	$ (3.13)	$ 2.43
Diluted net (loss) income per common share (in usd per share)	$ (3.13)	$ 1.91
Anti-dilutive potential common shares excluded from the computation of diluted net income/loss per share:
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share (in shares)	102,558,720	5,393,750
Add: Accretion of Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock	$ 0	$ 3,829
Less: Change in fair value of Series A redeemable convertible preferred stock embedded derivative	$ 0	$ (8,280)
Restricted stock units
Potentially dilutive common shares:
Potentially dilutive common shares (in shares)	0	758,682
Stock options
Potentially dilutive common shares:
Potentially dilutive common shares (in shares)	0	37,167
Series A warrants
Potentially dilutive common shares:
Potentially dilutive common shares (in shares)	0	0
Series B warrants
Potentially dilutive common shares:
Potentially dilutive common shares (in shares)	0	39,288,690
Series A Preferred Stock
Potentially dilutive common shares:
Potentially dilutive common shares (in shares)	0	9,589,041
Equity-based incentive awards
Anti-dilutive potential common shares excluded from the computation of diluted net income/loss per share:
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share (in shares)	2,558,720	393,750
Series A warrants
Anti-dilutive potential common shares excluded from the computation of diluted net income/loss per share:
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share (in shares)	0	5,000,000
Series B warrants
Anti-dilutive potential common shares excluded from the computation of diluted net income/loss per share:
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share (in shares)	100,000,000	0