James Louis Chapman (born March 8, 1945) is an American business and political leader.

He attended public schools in Sulphur Springs; he received an undergraduate degree in business administration from the University of Texas at Austin (1968) and a J.D.

Later, he set up his own practice and was senior partner of the law firm of Chapman, Price, Hughes & Bauer.

He defeated the Republican choice, Edd Hargett, a former professional football player, by just over 1,900 votes.

Chapman served on the House Appropriations Committee, working on numerous projects including restoration and development of an Army Corps of Engineers-maintained East Texas lake called Cooper Lake, located between Cooper and Sulphur Springs.