James Lawrence Getz (September 14, 1821 – December 25, 1891) was an American newspaperman and politician who served three terms as a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania from 1867 to 1873.

James L. Getz was born in Reading, Pennsylvania.

He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1846 but never practiced.

Getz was elected as a Democrat to the Fortieth, Forty-first, and Forty-second Congresses.

He served as city comptroller of Reading from 1888 until his death there in 1891.