Legal Proceedings	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Legal Proceedings [Abstract]
Legal Proceedings	Note 8 – Legal Proceedings Customer Claim In 2005, a customer claimed a possible defect in a product that was produced for the Company's Swiss subsidiary, Maxwell SA, under contract by a third party manufacturer, Epcos AG, and resold to the customer. In July 2011, the Company reached an agreement in principal with the customer to settle any and all claims for consideration of 1.8 million Euro (approximately $2.4 million as of September 30, 2011), with 500,000 Euro (approximately $670,000 as of September 30, 2011) payable to the customer up front and the remaining amount of 1.3 million Euro (approximately $1.7 million as of September 30, 2011) available to the customer as a specified discount on future purchases of the Company's products. Any balance remaining of the 1.3 million Euro not used as product discount by December 31, 2014 is payable in cash at that time. This agreement is not yet final, and is therefore subject to change until a written agreement between the parties is executed. The Company is continuing to pursue recovery of damages from the manufacturer of the defective product, but at this time is unable to ascertain the amount of the recovery, if any. The anticipated settlement amount of 1.8 million Euro (approximately $2.4 million as of September 30, 2011) due from the Company to the customer has been fully accrued in "accounts payable and accrued liabilities" in the consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2011. FCPA Matter As a result of its international operations, the Company is subject to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ("FCPA"), which prohibits companies from making improper payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or keeping business. Beginning in 2009, the Company conducted an internal review into payments made to its former independent sales agent in China with respect to sales of the Company's high voltage capacitor products produced by the Company's Swiss subsidiary. In January 2011, the Company reached settlements with the SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice ("DOJ") with respect to charges asserted by the SEC and DOJ relating to the anti-bribery, books and records, internal controls, and disclosure provisions of the FCPA and other securities law violations. The Company settled civil charges with the SEC, agreeing to an injunction against further violations of the FCPA. Under the terms of the settlement with the SEC, the Company agreed to pay a total of $6.4 million in profit disgorgement and prejudgment interest, in two installments, with $3.2 million paid in the first quarter of 2011, and the remaining $3.2 million payable in the first quarter of 2012. Under the terms of the settlement with the DOJ, the Company agreed to pay a total of $8.0 million in penalties in three installments, with $3.5 million paid in the first quarter of 2011, and $2.3 million payable in each of the first quarters of 2012 and 2013. As part of the settlement, the Company entered into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement ("DPA") with the DOJ. If the Company remains in compliance with the terms of the DPA, at the conclusion of the term, the charges against the Company will be dismissed with prejudice. Further, under the terms of the agreements, the Company will periodically report to the SEC and DOJ on the Company's internal compliance program concerning anti-bribery. As of September 30, 2011, $5.4 million is included in "accounts payable and accrued liabilities" and $2.3 million is included in "other long-term liabilities" on the accompanying consolidated balance sheet. Shareholder Derivative Suit In August 2010, a shareholder derivative action was filed in the Superior Court for San Diego County, California, allegedly on behalf of and for the benefit of the Company, against certain of the Company's current and former officers and directors alleging, among other claims, breach of fiduciary duty, waste of corporate assets, and unjust enrichment. The complaint was titled Lozides v. Schramm et al. and alleged that the individual defendants allowed the Company to violate the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ("FCPA") and failed to maintain internal controls and accounting systems for compliance with the FCPA. In September 2010, Washtenaw County Employees' Retirement System v. Guyett et al., another derivative action, was filed in the same court against certain of the Company's current and former officers and directors, as well as a member of the Company's management team, alleging substantially similar claims. In October 2010, the two actions were consolidated. The amended consolidated shareholder derivative complaint was filed on March 24, 2011 against certain of the Company's current and former directors and officers, as well as members of the Company's management team, bringing similar claims as the previous complaints. On May 6, 2011, the defendants filed a demurrer (motion to dismiss) for all claims asserted under the complaint. On June 23, 2011, the plaintiffs filed an opposition to this demurrer contesting the validity of the defendants' grounds for dismissal. On August 12, 2011, the court considered the parties' respective filings and granted in part and denied in part the defendants' demurrer. Mediation is scheduled for December 15, 2011. Because the consolidated action is derivative in nature, it does not seek monetary damages from the Company. However, the Company may be required throughout the term of the action to advance the legal fees and costs incurred by the individual defendants and to incur other financial obligations. At this preliminary stage, the Company cannot predict the ultimate outcome of this action and therefore has not accrued an amount for any potential costs associated with this action.

Legal Proceedings

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Note 8 – Legal Proceedings

Customer Claim

In 2005, a customer claimed a possible defect in a product that was produced for the Company's Swiss subsidiary, Maxwell SA, under contract by a third party manufacturer, Epcos AG, and resold to the customer. In July 2011, the Company reached an agreement in principal with the customer to settle any and all claims for consideration of 1.8 million Euro (approximately $2.4 million as of September 30, 2011), with 500,000 Euro (approximately $670,000 as of September 30, 2011) payable to the customer up front and the remaining amount of 1.3 million Euro (approximately $1.7 million as of September 30, 2011) available to the customer as a specified discount on future purchases of the Company's products. Any balance remaining of the 1.3 million Euro not used as product discount by December 31, 2014 is payable in cash at that time. This agreement is not yet final, and is therefore subject to change until a written agreement between the parties is executed. The Company is continuing to pursue recovery of damages from the manufacturer of the defective product, but at this time is unable to ascertain the amount of the recovery, if any. The anticipated settlement amount of 1.8 million Euro (approximately $2.4 million as of September 30, 2011) due from the Company to the customer has been fully accrued in "accounts payable and accrued liabilities" in the consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2011.

FCPA Matter

As a result of its international operations, the Company is subject to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ("FCPA"), which prohibits companies from making improper payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or keeping business. Beginning in 2009, the Company conducted an internal review into payments made to its former independent sales agent in China with respect to sales of the Company's high voltage capacitor products produced by the Company's Swiss subsidiary. In January 2011, the Company reached settlements with the SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice ("DOJ") with respect to charges asserted by the SEC and DOJ relating to the anti-bribery, books and records, internal controls, and disclosure provisions of the FCPA and other securities law violations. The Company settled civil charges with the SEC, agreeing to an injunction against further violations of the FCPA. Under the terms of the settlement with the SEC, the Company agreed to pay a total of $6.4 million in profit disgorgement and prejudgment interest, in two installments, with $3.2 million paid in the first quarter of 2011, and the remaining $3.2 million payable in the first quarter of 2012. Under the terms of the settlement with the DOJ, the Company agreed to pay a total of $8.0 million in penalties in three installments, with $3.5 million paid in the first quarter of 2011, and $2.3 million payable in each of the first quarters of 2012 and 2013. As part of the settlement, the Company entered into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement ("DPA") with the DOJ. If the Company remains in compliance with the terms of the DPA, at the conclusion of the term, the charges against the Company will be dismissed with prejudice. Further, under the terms of the agreements, the Company will periodically report to the SEC and DOJ on the Company's internal compliance program concerning anti-bribery. As of September 30, 2011, $5.4 million is included in "accounts payable and accrued liabilities" and $2.3 million is included in "other long-term liabilities" on the accompanying consolidated balance sheet.

Shareholder Derivative Suit

In August 2010, a shareholder derivative action was filed in the Superior Court for San Diego County, California, allegedly on behalf of and for the benefit of the Company, against certain of the Company's current and former officers and directors alleging, among other claims, breach of fiduciary duty, waste of corporate assets, and unjust enrichment. The complaint was titled Lozides v. Schramm et al. and alleged that the individual defendants allowed the Company to violate the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ("FCPA") and failed to maintain internal controls and accounting systems for compliance with the FCPA. In September 2010, Washtenaw County Employees' Retirement System v. Guyett et al., another derivative action, was filed in the same court against certain of the Company's current and former officers and directors, as well as a member of the Company's management team, alleging substantially similar claims. In October 2010, the two actions were consolidated. The amended consolidated shareholder derivative complaint was filed on March 24, 2011 against certain of the Company's current and former directors and officers, as well as members of the Company's management team, bringing similar claims as the previous complaints. On May 6, 2011, the defendants filed a demurrer (motion to dismiss) for all claims asserted under the complaint. On June 23, 2011, the plaintiffs filed an opposition to this demurrer contesting the validity of the defendants' grounds for dismissal. On August 12, 2011, the court considered the parties' respective filings and granted in part and denied in part the defendants' demurrer. Mediation is scheduled for December 15, 2011. Because the consolidated action is derivative in nature, it does not seek monetary damages from the Company. However, the Company may be required throughout the term of the action to advance the legal fees and costs incurred by the individual defendants and to incur other financial obligations. At this preliminary stage, the Company cannot predict the ultimate outcome of this action and therefore has not accrued an amount for any potential costs associated with this action.