Other Assets (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Other Assets, Noncurrent Disclosure [Abstract]
2012 Notes issuance costs	$ 0	$ 683
2015 Notes issuance costs	3,718	4,226
May 2015 Notes issuance costs	4,717	0
Non-recourse Notes issuance costs	386	2,397
Other assets, net	67	0
Total other assets	$ 8,888	$ 7,306

May 2015 Notes issuance costs

Name:	pdli_May2015NotesIssuanceCosts
Namespace Prefix:	pdli
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The remaining balance of non-recourse debt issuance expenses that were capitalized and are being amortized against income over the lives of the respective bond issues.

+ Details

Name:	pdli_UnamortizedDebtIssuanceExpenseNonRecourseNotes
Namespace Prefix:	pdli
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The remaining balance of 2012 debt issuance expenses that were capitalized and are being amortized against income over the lives of the respective note issues.

+ Details

Name:	pdli_UnamortizedDebtIssuanceExpenseQ22012
Namespace Prefix:	pdli
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The remaining balance of 2015 debt issuance expenses that were capitalized and are being amortized against income over the lives of the respective note issues.

+ Details

Name:	pdli_UnamortizedDebtIssuanceExpenseQ22015
Namespace Prefix:	pdli
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of noncurrent assets which have not been itemized or categorized in the footnotes to the financial statements and are a component of Other Assets, Noncurrent (OtherAssetsNoncurrent). Noncurrent assets are expected to be realized or consumed after one year (or the normal operating cycle, if longer).

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherAssetsMiscellaneousNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Aggregate carrying amount, as of the balance sheet date, of noncurrent assets not separately disclosed in the balance sheet. Noncurrent assets are expected to be realized or consumed after one year (or the normal operating cycle, if longer).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 17
-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.17)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrentDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration