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): October 19, 2000
       -------------------------------------------------------------------



                             FORT JAMES CORPORATION
       -------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



                                    Virginia
      ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)



                     1-7911                       54-0848173
      ---------------------------------------------------------------------

          (Commission File Number)      (IRS Employer Identification Number)



               1650 Lake Cook Road, Deerfield, Illinois 60015-4753
      ----------------------------------------------------------------------

          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)



        Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (847) 317-5000
       ---------------------------------------------------------------------

<PAGE>


Item 5. Other Events.

On October 19, 2000, Fort James  Corporation  issued a press release  announcing
that its Board of Directors had declared a fourth quarter  dividend of $0.15 per
share of Fort James  common  stock,  payable on December  29, 2000 to holders of
record on December 15, 2000. A copy of the press  release is attached as Exhibit
99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

Holders of Fort James common stock will only receive such dividend to the extent
that they  continue  to be holders of record of Fort James  common  stock on the
record date.  Accordingly,  a Fort James  shareholder  will NOT receive any such
dividend on such holder's shares of Fort James common stock if:

o        such Fort James  shareholder  tenders  his shares of Fort James  common
         stock pursuant to  Georgia-Pacific's  exchange offer, dated October 13,
         2000, and such exchange offer is consummated  prior to the record date,
         or

o        the merger between Fenres Acquisition Corp., the purchaser in
         Georgia-Pacific's exchange offer and a wholly owned subsidiary of
         Georgia-Pacific, with Fort James is consummated prior to the record
         date.

Georgia-Pacific's  exchange  offer is  scheduled  to expire on November 9, 2000;
however,  Georgia-Pacific  intends  to  extend  its  offer  from time to time as
necessary  until the earlier of (1) the date on which all the  conditions to the
offer have been  satisfied or waived and (2) February 28, 2000.  Georgia-Pacific
and Fort James expect to complete the merger shortly following completion of the
offer.  If  the  offer  is  consummated  as  initially  scheduled,   Fort  James
shareholders  who tender all of their  shares  pursuant to the offer will not be
holders  of  record  of Fort  James  common  stock as of the  record  date,  and
therefore will not receive any dividend.

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c)      99.1    Press release of Fort James Corporation, dated October 19,2000.


<PAGE>


                                   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 thereunto duly authorized.

                             FORT JAMES CORPORATION



                             By: /s/ Clifford A. Cutchins, IV
                                -----------------------------
                                     Clifford A. Cutchins, IV
                                     Senior Vice President, General Counsel and
                                     Corporate Secretary



Date:  October 19, 2000
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "filename": "0001.txt", "description": "FORT JAMES CORP 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 4161}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "FORT JAMES CORP", "cik": "0000053117", "assigned-sic": "2621", "irs-number": "540848173", "state-of-incorporation": "VA", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-07911", "film-number": "742524"}, "business-address": {"street1": "1650 LAKE COOK RD", "street2": "PO BOX 89", "city": "DEERFIELD", "state": "IL", "zip": "60015", "phone": "8473175000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "1650 LAKE COOK RD", "street2": "PO BOX 89", "city": "DEERFIELD", "state": "IL", "zip": "60015"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "JAMES RIVER CORP OF VIRGINIA", "date-changed": "19920703"}}
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): October 19, 2000
       -------------------------------------------------------------------

                             FORT JAMES CORPORATION
       -------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                                    Virginia
      ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

                     1-7911                       54-0848173
      ---------------------------------------------------------------------

          (Commission File Number)      (IRS Employer Identification Number)

               1650 Lake Cook Road, Deerfield, Illinois 60015-4753
      ----------------------------------------------------------------------

          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

        Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (847) 317-5000
       ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Item 5. Other Events.

On October 19, 2000, Fort James  Corporation  issued a press release  announcing
that its Board of Directors had declared a fourth quarter  dividend of $0.15 per
share of Fort James  common  stock,  payable on December  29, 2000 to holders of
record on December 15, 2000. A copy of the press  release is attached as Exhibit
99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

Holders of Fort James common stock will only receive such dividend to the extent
that they  continue  to be holders of record of Fort James  common  stock on the
record date.  Accordingly,  a Fort James  shareholder  will NOT receive any such
dividend on such holder's shares of Fort James common stock if:

o        such Fort James  shareholder  tenders  his shares of Fort James  common
         stock pursuant to  Georgia-Pacific's  exchange offer, dated October 13,
         2000, and such exchange offer is consummated  prior to the record date,
         or

o        the merger between Fenres Acquisition Corp., the purchaser in
         Georgia-Pacific's exchange offer and a wholly owned subsidiary of
         Georgia-Pacific, with Fort James is consummated prior to the record
         date.

Georgia-Pacific's  exchange  offer is  scheduled  to expire on November 9, 2000;
however,  Georgia-Pacific  intends  to  extend  its  offer  from time to time as
necessary  until the earlier of (1) the date on which all the  conditions to the
offer have been  satisfied or waived and (2) February 28, 2000.  Georgia-Pacific
and Fort James expect to complete the merger shortly following completion of the
offer.  If  the  offer  is  consummated  as  initially  scheduled,   Fort  James
shareholders  who tender all of their  shares  pursuant to the offer will not be
holders  of  record  of Fort  James  common  stock as of the  record  date,  and
therefore will not receive any dividend.

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c)      99.1    Press release of Fort James Corporation, dated October 19,2000.
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 thereunto duly authorized.

                             FORT JAMES CORPORATION

                             By: /s/ Clifford A. Cutchins, IV
                                -----------------------------
                                     Clifford A. Cutchins, IV
                                     Senior Vice President, General Counsel and
                                     Corporate Secretary

Date:  October 19, 2000