SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                 --------------

                                   FORM 8-K/A

                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 or 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934



       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) - October 23, 2001
                                ----------------



                           ACACIA RESEARCH CORPORATION
                           ---------------------------
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)




         Delaware                        000-26068              95-4405754
         --------                        ---------              ----------
(State or Other Jurisdiction           (Commission           (I.R.S. Employer
of Incorporation or Organization)      File Number)         Identification No.)



55 South Lake Avenue, Pasadena, California                            91101
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                           (Zip Code)



       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (626) 396-8300
                                                           --------------



                                 Not Applicable
           ----------------------------------------------------------
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed since Last Report









Item 5.  Other Events.

     This Form 8-K/A  amends the Form 8-K dated  October  23,  2001 and filed on
October  26,  2001 by  Acacia  Research  Corporation  ("Acacia").  The  Form 8-K
included a press release  ("Press  Release")  filed as Exhibit 99.1,  describing
Acacia's recently declared stock dividend. This Form 8-K/A is being filed solely
to reflect  that the Form 8-K was filed under Item 5 rather than under Item 9 as
previously  indicated.  The Press  Release is not being  amended and is attached
hereto as Exhibit 99.1.



Item 7.  Exhibits.

           (a)      Not Applicable.

           (b)      Not Applicable.

           (c)      Exhibits.

                    Exhibit 99.1
                    ------------

                    Press Release dated October 23, 2001 of the Registrant.









                                   SIGNATURES


     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.



                                    ACACIA RESEARCH CORPORATION


Date:  October 29, 2001              By: /s/  Paul R. Ryan
                                      ----------------------------------------
                                     Name:  Paul R. Ryan
                                     Title: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer







                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
                                  -------------



    Exhibit Number                          Description
    --------------                          ------------

        99.1           Press Release dated October 23, 2001, of the Registrant.