Legal Proceedings	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Legal Proceedings [Abstract]
Legal Proceedings	Note 18 — Legal Proceedings On July 11, 2011 a shareholder derivative action, Robert J. Levy v. J. Gordon Huszagh, et al., No. 11 Civ. 3321 (JS), was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York against certain current and former directors of the Company and a former officer of the Company. The Company was named as a nominal defendant. The complaint seeks damages against the individual defendants in an unspecified amount, and alleges that the individual defendants breached their fiduciary duties by making improper statements regarding the sufficiency of the Company's allowance for loan losses and loan portfolio credit quality, and by failing to establish sufficient allowances for loan losses and to establish effective credit risk management policies. On September 30, 2011, the Company and the current and former director defendants filed a motion to dismiss the complaint. On September 28, 2012, the court granted the motion to dismiss and granted the plaintiff leave to file an amended complaint. On October 28, 2011, a separate shareholder derivative action, Susan Forbush v. Edgar F. Goodale, et al., No. 33538/11, was filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York for the County of Suffolk, against certain current and former directors of the Company and a former officer of the Company. The Company was named as a nominal defendant. The complaint asserts claims that are substantially similar to those asserted in the Levy action. On February 17, 2012, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss the complaint. On February 4, 2013, the Supreme Court denid the defendant's motion to dismiss. On October 20, 2011, a putative shareholder class action, James E. Fisher v. Suffolk Bancorp, et al., No. 11 Civ. 5114 (SJ), was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York against the Company, its former chief executive officer, and a former chief financial officer of the Company. The complaint alleges that the defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by knowingly or recklessly making false statements about, or failing to disclose accurate information about, the Company's financial results and condition, loan loss reserves, impaired assets, internal and disclosure controls, and banking practices. The complaint seeks damages in an unspecified amount on behalf of purchasers of the Company's common stock between March 12, 2010 and August 10, 2011. On October 15, 2012, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss the complaint. The District Court has been informed that the parties have agreed to a resolution of the action and are in the process of preparing a Stipulation of Settlement for submission for the Court's approval. Management does not believe that the ultimate resolution of this matter will have a material adverse impact on the consolidated financial statements. It is not possible at the current phases of these lawsuits to ascertain whether there is a reasonable possibility of a loss from these matters. Therefore we have concluded that an amount for a loss contingency is not to be accrued or disclosed at this time. The Company believes that it has substantial defenses to the claims filed against it in these lawsuits and, to the extent that these actions proceed, the Company intends to defend itself vigorously. The SEC's New York regional office has formally requested certain loan files and other records from the Company, and the Company is in the process of providing these files and records. The SEC has not asserted that any federal securities law violation has occurred. The Company believes it is in compliance with all federal securities laws and is cooperating with the SEC's inquiry.

Note 18 — Legal Proceedings

On July 11, 2011 a shareholder derivative action, Robert J. Levy v. J. Gordon Huszagh, et al., No. 11 Civ. 3321 (JS), was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York against certain current and former directors of the Company and a former officer of the Company. The Company was named as a nominal defendant. The complaint seeks damages against the individual defendants in an unspecified amount, and alleges that the individual defendants breached their fiduciary duties by making improper statements regarding the sufficiency of the Company's allowance for loan losses and loan portfolio credit quality, and by failing to establish sufficient allowances for loan losses and to establish effective credit risk management policies. On September 30, 2011, the Company and the current and former director defendants filed a motion to dismiss the complaint. On September 28, 2012, the court granted the motion to dismiss and granted the plaintiff leave to file an amended complaint.

On October 28, 2011, a separate shareholder derivative action, Susan Forbush v. Edgar F. Goodale, et al., No. 33538/11, was filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York for the County of Suffolk, against certain current and former directors of the Company and a former officer of the Company. The Company was named as a nominal defendant. The complaint asserts claims that are substantially similar to those asserted in the Levy action. On February 17, 2012, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss the complaint. On February 4, 2013, the Supreme Court denid the defendant's motion to dismiss.

On October 20, 2011, a putative shareholder class action, James E. Fisher v. Suffolk Bancorp, et al., No. 11 Civ. 5114 (SJ), was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York against the Company, its former chief executive officer, and a former chief financial officer of the Company. The complaint alleges that the defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by knowingly or recklessly making false statements about, or failing to disclose accurate information about, the Company's financial results and condition, loan loss reserves, impaired assets, internal and disclosure controls, and banking practices. The complaint seeks damages in an unspecified amount on behalf of purchasers of the Company's common stock between March 12, 2010 and August 10, 2011. On October 15, 2012, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss the complaint. The District Court has been informed that the parties have agreed to a resolution of the action and are in the process of preparing a Stipulation of Settlement for submission for the Court's approval. Management does not believe that the ultimate resolution of this matter will have a material adverse impact on the consolidated financial statements.

It is not possible at the current phases of these lawsuits to ascertain whether there is a reasonable possibility of a loss from these matters. Therefore we have concluded that an amount for a loss contingency is not to be accrued or disclosed at this time. The Company believes that it has substantial defenses to the claims filed against it in these lawsuits and, to the extent that these actions proceed, the Company intends to defend itself vigorously.

The SEC's New York regional office has formally requested certain loan files and other records from the Company, and the Company is in the process of providing these files and records. The SEC has not asserted that any federal securities law violation has occurred. The Company believes it is in compliance with all federal securities laws and is cooperating with the SEC's inquiry.