James Butler 3rd Earl Ormond was born in Ireland.

He succeeded to the title in 1382. He served as Governor of Ireland under Sir Philip Courtenay, until they fell into disagreement. Courtenay was the nephew of William Courtenay who was the Archbishop of Cantebury. The Archbishop had disagreed with Richard II and Courtenay supported his uncle whilst Butler supported the King. Following an insurrection in Ireland, Robert de Vere led an expedition to Ireland which Butler supported.

Close Roll, 5 Richard II

Item no. 165

Dublin 10 May 1382

 To the treasurer and chamberlains of the exchequer  James son of James Butler, earl of Ormond, formerly deputy of that earl as justiciar of Ireland, has pleaded that a certain tally worth £20 from the mayor and bailiffs of Limerick from the farm of that town was assigned to him in part-payment of his fee in that office, which was to be levied in the receipt of the exchequer in Hilary term 3 Richard II [1380], when Alexander [Balscot], bishop of Ossory, was treasurer of Ireland And the community of that town is so impoverished that they were and still are unable to levy that tally and cannot make satisfaction to James son of James [Butler] of those £20. And another tally for 66s 8d was levied in the receipt of the exchequer for James son of James [Butler] from the issues of the great new custom of that town, John Whit then being collector of that custom in that town. John was removed from that office after the tally was levied, so that he neither had nor received any money from the customs after the tally was levied. Consequently, James has not been paid the sums contained on those tallies. He seeks remedy. ORDER to search the rolls and memoranda of the exchequer, and if it is agreed that neither James the son, nor the mayor and bailiffs, nor John have had any benefit of those tallies before now, then on receiving the tallies they are to cancel and to assign to James the son the sum owed to him by other tallies to be levied in the receipt of the exchequer

Attested:  Roger, son and heir of Edmund Mortimer, late earl of March and Ulster, lieutenant

Authorised:  By letters under the signet of the marquis.

Patent Roll, 17 Richard II

Item no. 5

Kilkenny 4 April 1394

LICENCE for James Butler, earl of Ormond, to enfeoff Walter Cantwell, Michael Darcy and Nicholas […] in all the lands, tenements, rents services [etc.] that he holds of the King in chief County Dublin, for the term of their lives; and LICENCE to the said Walter, Michael and Nicholas to receive the same freely from the earl for the term of their lives.1

Attested:  James Butler, earl of Ormond, justiciar

Authorised:  By petition [etc.].

Butler was dismissed from his post with all the other members of the administration after de Vere was defeated at the battle of Radcot bridge. They were all later reinstated, except de vere.

He was appointed Lord Justice of Ireland 1392 and 1401, he died at Gowran castle, Ireland in 1405.