James Way Covert (September 2, 1842 – May 16, 1910) was an American lawyer and politician who served five terms as a United States representative from New York from 1877 to 1881, and from 1889 to 1895 Born at Oyster Bay, he attended the public schools and received an academic education in Locust Valley.

He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1863, and commenced practice in Flushing.

He was Chairman of the House Committee on Patents (53rd Congress).

Covert moved to Brooklyn in 1896 and resumed the practice of law.

He died in Brooklyn in 1910; interment was in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Maspeth.