ValidationModel.php

<?php

class ValidationModel extends Eloquent {
    
    /**
     * Hold the validation rules for the model
     * 
     * @var array
     */
    protected $rules = array();
    
    /**
     * Hold the validator instance
     * 
     * @var Validator  
     */
    protected $validator = null;
    
    /**
     * Whether or not we want to check validity on save
     * 
     * @var bool
     */
    protected $checkValid = true;
    
    /**
     * Get the rules for this model
     * 
     * @return array
     */
    public function getRules()
    {
        return $this->rules;
    }
    
    /**
     * Check to see if the attributes on this model are valid
     * 
     * @return bool
     */
    public function isValid()
    {
        $this->validator = Validator::make($this->attributes, $this->getRules());
        return $this->validator->passes();
    }
    
    /**
     * Return the validator instance on this model if there is one
     * 
     * @return null | Validator 
     */
    public function getValidator()
    {
        return $this->validator;
    }

    /**
     * Override save to provide an optional validity check
     * 
     * @param array
     * 
     * @return mixed
     */
    public function save(array $options = array())
    {
        if ($this->checkValid and ! $this->isValid())
        {
            return false;
        }
        
        return parent::save($options);
    }
    
    /**
     * Bypass the validation check
     * 
     * return Model
     */
    public function bypassValidation()
    {
        $this->checkValid = false;
        return $this;
    }
}

should work, too:</p>