public function handleSignPetition() { $userID = Input::get('user_id'); $petitionID = Input::get('petition_id'); $query = DB::table('signees')->where('petition_id', '=', $petitionID)->get(); $signed = -1; foreach ($query as $q) { if ($q->user_id == $userID) { $signed = 0; } } if ($signed == -1) { $signee = new Signee(); $signee->user_id = $userID; $signee->petition_id = $petitionID; $signee->save(); return Redirect::to('petitions'); } else { return Redirect::to('petitions')->with(array('alert' => 'You have already signed this petition', 'alert-class' => 'alert-danger')); } return var_dump($signed); }