Kern County, California has its civil index accessible online. Civil and small claims actions are searchable by docket number, last name or partial last name. The inclusive dates are somewhat limited, as are the types of cases:

Cases that may not be online include Unlimited Civil and Family Law cases from 1996 and earlier and Limited Civil cases (including Unlawful Detainers and Small Claims cases) from July 2003 and earlier.

With all that said, I found Superior Court cases listed that were filed in the 1970s.