Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Revenues	$ 62,093	$ 8,854
Operating costs and expenses
Inventor royalties	21,744	666
Contingent legal fees	15,759	627
Other Cost of Operating Revenue	4,000	0
Litigation and licensing expenses - patents	2,745	6,386
Amortization of patents	5,330	5,515
General and administrative expenses(2)	3,379	6,916
Other expenses - business development	166	320
Total operating costs and expenses	53,123	20,430
Operating income (loss)	8,970	(11,576)
Change in fair value of investment, net	(41,097)	0
Interest income and other	207	696
Total other income (expense)	(40,890)	696
Loss before provision for income taxes	(31,920)	(10,880)
Provision for income taxes	(191)	(1,241)
Net loss including noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries	(32,111)	(12,121)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries	73	291
Net loss attributable to Acacia Research Corporation	(32,038)	(11,830)
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	$ (32,038)	$ (11,830)
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted	$ (0.63)	$ (0.24)
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic and Diluted	50,632,958	50,333,056
General and administrative expenses excluding share-based compensation	$ 4,403	$ 4,788
Non-cash stock compensation general and administrative	704	2,112
Non-cash stock compensation - profits interests	$ (1,728)	$ 16