/// <summary>
    /// GetPetition Method returns an Petition based on petition id supplied
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="id"></param>
    /// <returns></returns>
    public Petition GetPetition(int ? id)
    {

        using (petitionEntities1 pe = new petitionEntities1())
        {
            pe.Connection.Open();
            try
            {
                return pe.Petitions.Where(x => x.Id == id).FirstOrDefault();
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                return null;
            }
        }
    }

/// <summary>
    /// GetAllPetitions does exactly what it says, it returns all Petitions in a list
    /// </summary>
    /// <returns></returns>
    public List<Petition> GetAllPetitions()
    {

        using (petitionEntities1 pe = new petitionEntities1())
        {
            try
            {
                return pe.Petitions.ToList<Petition>();
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {

                return null;
            }
        }
    }

/// <summary>
    /// PutPetition , adds a petition to the database
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="petition"></param>
    /// <returns></returns>
    public int PutPetition(Petition petition)
    {
        using (petitionEntities1 pe = new petitionEntities1())
        {
            try
            {
                pe.Petitions.AddObject(petition);
                pe.SaveChanges();
                pe.AcceptAllChanges();
                return 1;

            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {

                return -1;
            }
        }
    }

var a = sc.PutPetition(petition);