the applicability of this law was decided upon by the house of lords in the case "stewart v. secretary of state for scotland" where it was stated that it did not protect a sheriff from dismissal for "inability". further acts of parliament empowered the lord president of the court of session and the lord justice clerk to remove sheriffs from office due to a personal inability to complete their function – differentiated from a mental incapacity or incapacity due to age. therefore, "ad vitam aut culpum" has a limited applicability which does protect an office from dismissal if they are incompetent.