James Fairman Fielder (February 26, 1867 – December 2, 1954) was an American lawyer and Democratic politician and jurist who served as the 35th Governor of New Jersey from 1914 to 1917.

[2] As Senator, Fielder served on the committees on Banks and Insurance, the Judiciary, Riparian Rights, Passed Bills, the School for the Deaf Mutes, and the Soldiers' Home.

[2] Fielder was elected President at the opening of the session in January 1913 and succeeded to the powers of the Governor when Wilson resigned in March.

[2] Fielder failed to win passage of some more ambitious initiatives, including a call for a constitutional convention and a bill to reform to the state's system for selecting jurors.

[2] His main rival for the Democratic nomination was H. Otto Wittpenn, the progressive mayor of Jersey City, with whom he competed for Wilson's support.

[2] Fielder conducted a vigorous speaking tour throughout the state and resigned from the Senate on October 28 so as to create a vacancy in the governorship and avoid constitutional limits on succeeding himself.

On Election Day, he won a secure plurality of 32,850 votes in a three way race against Republican Edward C. Stokes and Progressive Everett Colby.

Fielder also signed legislation to impose an inheritance tax, reform municipal and county primary elections, strengthen pure food laws, reform the penal system, increase funding for agricultural research, tax bank stocks, and establish a Legislative Reference Bureau.

Fielder signed some progressive legislation in his final two years in office, including a reduction in the number of boards, departments and commissions in state government; the creation of a central purchasing bureau for the state government; a requirement for advance announcement of proposed expenditures to permit public review and comment; protections for factory workers and a ten-hour work day for women.