Note 12 - Earnings Per Share - Basic and Diluted Income (Loss) Per Common Share (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Net income (loss) attributable to Conifer		$ 1,326		$ (2,234)	$ 2,368	$ (6,999)
Preferred stock dividends		81	$ 148	$ 16	384	$ 43
Paid-in-kind dividends		33	$ 59		61
Net income (loss) allocable to common shareholders		$ 1,212		$ (2,250)	$ 1,828	$ (7,042)
Weighted average common shares, basic and diluted* (in shares)	[1]	5,701,794		2,514,229	4,603,451	2,335,315
Earnings (loss) per share allocable to common, basic and diluted (in dollars per share)		$ 0.21		$ (0.89)	$ 0.40	$ (3.02)

[1] The nonvested shares of the restricted stock units were anti-dilutive as of September 30, 2015. Therefore, the basic and and diluted weighted average common shares are equal as of September 30, 2015.