SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                 ______________

                                    FORM 8-K

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



        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) - March 20, 2002



                           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.)



500 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, California                     92660
- ---------------------------------------------------                     -----
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                              (Zip Code)



       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (949) 480-8300


            --------------------------------------------------------
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed since Last Report)







Item 7.    Exhibits.

              (a)      Not Applicable.

              (b)      Not Applicable.

              (c)      Exhibits.

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

                       Press Release dated March 20, 2002 of the Registrant.



Item 9.  Registration FD Disclosure.

     On March 20, 2002, Acacia Research  Corporation  issued a press release,  a
copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is  incorporated  herein by
reference.









                                   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:  March 20, 2002         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 March 20, 2002, of the Registrant.