Foreign Currency Hedging (Schedule of Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts Designated as Cash Flow Hedges) (Detail) - ERROR in label resolution. $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative, Forward Exchange Rate	1.260
Fair Value		$ 2,802
Derivative, Notional Amount		$ 16,500

Aggregate notional amount specified by the derivative(s). Expressed as an absolute value.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Article 12
-Section 13
-Sentence Column B

+ Details

Name:	invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
Namespace Prefix:	invest_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual rate at which a foreign currency can be purchased or sold.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeForwardExchangeRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value as of the balance sheet date of all foreign currency derivatives designated as cash flow hedging instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4B
-Subparagraph (a),(b),(c)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64837297&loc=SL5624163-113959

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=pdli_EurodollarSellForwardContract1.260Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: