“… This was to exact punishment from the wicked who destroy the world that was created with ten utterances, and to bestow reward upon the righteous who sustain the world that was created by ten utterances.”
The pasuk tells us in Koheles (7:20) that there is no tzaddik in this world who does only good. The litigant therefore has room to argue that even the most righteous person does wrong.
The Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk explains that when the deeds of the wicked people are compared to the righteous person it is apparent how virtuous the tzaddikim really are and the litigant is silenced.
Thus, the order of the mishnah is correct. Punishment is demanded for the wicked so that the tzaddikim can be properly rewarded.
