A consumer’s apology for her inability to pay a credit card bill did not relieve a debt collector of its obligation to obey federal law, a judge ruled Sunday.In a written opinion, U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly held Portfolio Recovery Associates LLC violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act when it failed to tell a consumer-reporting agency that Katherine Evans disputed the amount of her unpaid bill.Kennelly rejected the argument that Evans did not put Portfolio on notice that there was a dispute.A …