Commitments and Contingencies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Bank Guarantee In March 2015, an operating subsidiary of Acacia entered into a standby letter of credit and guarantee arrangement (“Guarantee”) with a bank in the amount of $10.7 million, for purposes of enforcing a court ruling in a German patent court granting an injunction against the defendants in the related patent infringement case. An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a court order that compels the defendant(s) to cease marketing, offering for sale or importing applicable infringing products into applicable jurisdiction(s). Under German law, in order to enforce the injunction granted by the court, a Guarantee is required to be furnished by our operating subsidiary, the plaintiff in the case, for potential payment to the defendants of any applicable claims which may be incurred by the defendants as a result of the enforcement of the injunction, only in the event that the aforementioned court ruling is subsequently successfully appealed by the defendants or otherwise amended. The Guarantee is required to be issued unlimited with respect to time, until appropriately extinguished in accordance with German law. The Guarantee will be extinguished when a relevant extinguishment order by the court having jurisdiction takes effect, typically occurring when the related infringement case has been settled or a final non-appealable decision has been issued by the court. The Guarantee is secured by a cash deposit at the contracting bank totaling $10.7 million, which is classified as restricted cash in the March 31, 2015 balance sheet. The Guarantee expires on April 10, 2016, however, it is automatically extended without amendment for a period of one (1) year from the present or any future expiration date, unless at least 30 days prior to any expiration date, the Guarantee is extinguished in accordance with German law. The Guarantee facility fee is 1.15% per year, and the related expense is included in the statement of operations. Patent Enforcement Certain of Acacia’s operating subsidiaries are often required to engage in litigation to enforce their patents and patent rights. In connection with any of Acacia’s operating subsidiaries’ patent enforcement actions, it is possible that a defendant may request and/or a court may rule that an operating subsidiary has violated statutory authority, regulatory authority, federal rules, local court rules, or governing standards relating to the substantive or procedural aspects of such enforcement actions. In such event, a court may issue monetary sanctions against Acacia or its operating subsidiaries or award attorney’s fees and/or expenses to a defendant(s), which could be material. During the three months ended March 31, 2015, a federal court decided that a lawsuit initiated in 2013 was exceptional. The respective operating subsidiaries have taken steps to challenge the amounts requested including the filing of a notice of appeal. Operating expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2015 included an expense accrual for this matter totaling $426,000. Other In February 2011, Michael Strathmann ("Plaintiff") served a Complaint for Violation of the Insurance Fraud Prevention Act (California Insurance Code Section 1871.7) against Acacia, CombiMatrix Corporation, and Dr. Amit Kumar in the Superior Court of the State of California (the "Court") in connection with a prior lawsuit against Nanogen, Inc., that was settled in 2002. Plaintiff alleged that the defendants wrongfully made a claim for insurance coverage for the Nanogen lawsuit leading to a settlement with the insurer. The trial commenced in June 2014. In March 2015, the court issued a final judgment in Acacia's favor, dismissing the complaint with prejudice and affirming its prior rulings in favor of Acacia and the defendants, and against all claims of the Plaintiff. Acacia is subject to claims, counterclaims and legal actions that arise in the ordinary course of business. Management believes that the ultimate liability with respect to these claims and legal actions, if any, will not have a material effect on Acacia’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Bank Guarantee

In March 2015, an operating subsidiary of Acacia entered into a standby letter of credit and guarantee arrangement (“Guarantee”) with a bank in the amount of $10.7 million, for purposes of enforcing a court ruling in a German patent court granting an injunction against the defendants in the related patent infringement case. An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a court order that compels the defendant(s) to cease marketing, offering for sale or importing applicable infringing products into applicable jurisdiction(s).

Under German law, in order to enforce the injunction granted by the court, a Guarantee is required to be furnished by our operating subsidiary, the plaintiff in the case, for potential payment to the defendants of any applicable claims which may be incurred by the defendants as a result of the enforcement of the injunction, only in the event that the aforementioned court ruling is subsequently successfully appealed by the defendants or otherwise amended. The Guarantee is required to be issued unlimited with respect to time, until appropriately extinguished in accordance with German law. The Guarantee will be extinguished when a relevant extinguishment order by the court having jurisdiction takes effect, typically occurring when the related infringement case has been settled or a final non-appealable decision has been issued by the court.

The Guarantee is secured by a cash deposit at the contracting bank totaling $10.7 million, which is classified as restricted cash in the March 31, 2015 balance sheet. The Guarantee expires on April 10, 2016, however, it is automatically extended without amendment for a period of one (1) year from the present or any future expiration date, unless at least 30 days prior to any expiration date, the Guarantee is extinguished in accordance with German law. The Guarantee facility fee is 1.15% per year, and the related expense is included in the statement of operations.

Patent Enforcement

Certain of Acacia’s operating subsidiaries are often required to engage in litigation to enforce their patents and patent rights. In connection with any of Acacia’s operating subsidiaries’ patent enforcement actions, it is possible that a defendant may request and/or a court may rule that an operating subsidiary has violated statutory authority, regulatory authority, federal rules, local court rules, or governing standards relating to the substantive or procedural aspects of such enforcement actions. In such event, a court may issue monetary sanctions against Acacia or its operating subsidiaries or award attorney’s fees and/or expenses to a defendant(s), which could be material.

During the three months ended March 31, 2015, a federal court decided that a lawsuit initiated in 2013 was exceptional. The respective operating subsidiaries have taken steps to challenge the amounts requested including the filing of a notice of appeal. Operating expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2015 included an expense accrual for this matter totaling $426,000.

Other

In February 2011, Michael Strathmann ("Plaintiff") served a Complaint for Violation of the Insurance Fraud Prevention Act (California Insurance Code Section 1871.7) against Acacia, CombiMatrix Corporation, and Dr. Amit Kumar in the Superior Court of the State of California (the "Court") in connection with a prior lawsuit against Nanogen, Inc., that was settled in 2002. Plaintiff alleged that the defendants wrongfully made a claim for insurance coverage for the Nanogen lawsuit leading to a settlement with the insurer. The trial commenced in June 2014. In March 2015, the court issued a final judgment in Acacia's favor, dismissing the complaint with prejudice and affirming its prior rulings in favor of Acacia and the defendants, and against all claims of the Plaintiff.

Acacia is subject to claims, counterclaims and legal actions that arise in the ordinary course of business. Management believes that the ultimate liability with respect to these claims and legal actions, if any, will not have a material effect on Acacia’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.